Eavesdropping

The playwright Alan Bennett, in a rare interview some years ago, revealed that he carries a small notebook in which he writes down remarks that people make which he might be able to use, like:

"I see the President of Romania's mother is dead - there's always trouble for somebody."

A headline: "Rumple-suited pragmatist is Quebec's new leader."

On a shop front: "It's Floggo time at Trouserama"

"They came to fit a new coat-hook in the toilet last week - they were four days doing it - I'm ashamed to be British sometimes."

And one gloriously dotty quote which he is surely saving for the title of his autobiography: "That fool of a tortoise is out again." mis2