Turning Defence into Attack.

The young woman on the checkout was wearing a name badge which said ‘Rosie.’

‘Did you know there was a popular song once called Rosie?’ I said. ‘I think it might even have got to number 1.’

‘Really?’

‘Mmm. It was a long time ago.’

The rest was silence until the shopping was packed away and the credit card inserted. And then I went into paternalistic mode, which is a very unusual mode for me to adopt. She must have had an innocent air, which is a very unusual air for a young woman to project these days.

‘You missed your line,’ I continued.

‘What line?’

‘You should have said “So are you going to sing it for me, then?” It would have discomfited me and put me on the back foot.’

She seemed to think I was joking, which I wasn’t. I was offering a tactical hint for use in the sex war. It was unsolicited, of course, and maybe she didn’t need one.