devoting some time and effort over recent months to improving my skill in this

very area.

 

That is to say, I have been endeavouring to add this skill to my professional

armoury so as to fulfil with confidence all Mr Farraday's expectations with

respect to bantering.

 

For instance, I have of late taken to listening to the wireless in my room

whenever I find myself with a few spare moments - on those occasions, say, when

Mr Farraday is out for the evening. One programme I listen to is called Twice a

Week or More, which is in fact broadcast three times each week, and basically

comprises two persons making humorous comments on a variety of topics raised by

readers' letters. I have been studying this programme because the witticisms

performed on it are always in the best of taste and, to my mind, of a tone not

at all out of keeping with the sort of bantering Mr Farraday might expect on my

part. Taking my cue from this programme, I have devised a simple exercise which

I try to perform at least once a day; whenever an odd moment presents itself, I

attempt to formulate three witticisms based on my immediate surroundings at that

moment. Or, as a variation on this same exercise, I may attempt to think of

three witticisms based on the events of the past hour.

 

You will perhaps appreciate then my disappointment concerning my witticism

yesterday evening. At first, I had thought it possible its limited success was

due to my not having spoken clearly enough. But then the possibility occurred to

me, once I had retired, that I might actually have given these people offence.