TPR was mobile again now that he had been kitted out with the same type of blades favoured by Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. He wore them in public for the first time at ED’s party in West Lothian.

The party was notable for another reason. N and SY were there.

“I had no idea that you knew N and S”, I commented to ED.

“I know everyone”, she replied. “I think that N is amazing. Who would have thought that you could hold down a successful career as an American university professor and bring up four kids?”

This was yet another surprise. I had always been under the impression that N worked in the UK hospitality industry.