Said Mia Wallace, in a masterpiece of the motion picture genre:

When you little scamps get together, you’re worse than a sewing circle.

The implication being that groups of men, employed in a line of work that can involve a degree of physical violence, can gossip quite a bit.

Which I’d like to be able to deny, but am unfortunately not in a position to do so. As was evidenced by the appearance of a well know local political figure in the workplace this evening. Which was followed by much silly talk.

• Here, is that …
• And why hasn’t he brought the minder out?
• And who’s that with him, it’s not the wife…
• Which wife? Did you no hear the scandal?
• Sure someone was telling me that all the wimmen love him, means there must be hope for us all…
• Did I not hear that he’d fallen out of favour over thon …..

And so on, and so forth. But never fear, dear reader, for a veneer of professionalism was maintained at all times. Isn’t that why they give us radios that the public can’t overhear? To allow us to indulge our sewing circle without appearing to?

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For information, it’s not who you think it is, and that’s final.