[On the number 9 bus last night, from Kensington High Street to Piccadilly Circus.]

His side of the conversation*:

“Mate! Yeah, yeah mate, definitely…. Yeah…. yeah, yeah, yeah…. Yeah yeah, definitely mate….. yeah. So did you…? Yeah yeah, mate…. Yeah?…. Yeah….. Definitely…. Yeah….. Yeah…… Nah, nah….nah mate, nah. ….Yeah mate, definitely….. Mate, deffo…… Yeah?… Yeah, Friday daytime, yeah?….Yeah mate… you give me a bell or I’ll… yeah, yeah…. yeah, whatever…. yeah, sound mate, sound…. Definitely, yeah yeah yeah…. Yeah for sure……. Oh yeah, yeah yeah….. yeah mate…… Definitely mate….. yeah….. yeah yeah…… definitely…. OK mate, yeah…… yeah….. see you saturday night mate, yeah?…… Yeah definitely…… definitely mate yeah…….. Ok coolio mate… yeah….. ciao mate……. Yeah……ciao.”

I knew that shorthand course would come in handy one day.

* So loud, I couldn’t help but hear, and all in a broad Mancunian accent.