It's no good, Alice, we'll have to lay off the lettuce

We're all getting to that age now. Between us we've had a spate of funerals of friends or relations and many of us are concerned for the well-being of the elderly and infirm amongst us. Every so often the pressure gets to us and we either explode or get ill, or both. Poor old Frisby Dyke at Dutch Bend is a case in point: both his parents haven't been too clever lately and his mum's just had a hip operation. Pile on top of that the pressure that he and Daisy have been under with T.Aldous' constant meddling at that library and it's no wonder he's not so good himself. Even T.Aldous has noticed: after a particularly bitter argument in today's staff meeting he pulls Frisby to one side for a talking to.

"You're not looking too well Frisby. I know you too well: you're not eating properly. I've got two bananas in my briefcase that you can have."

Well meant but bizzare.