[He shrugs faintly, not even pretending to look up.]
Wasn't enough. [He's never enough.
Ah. And there is why he mentioned dogs. That's fine. Dogs aren't his favorite animals, but he likes most animals well enough. He's always gotten along with animals better than people.]
All right.
[And he'll do as directed. He doesn't say anything of consequence to the dog, just speaks about mathematics, of all things. But it's something to say, something to cling to, and the dog is very obviously there and breathing like a furnace.]
[Action, June 24]
Wasn't enough. [He's never enough.
Ah. And there is why he mentioned dogs. That's fine. Dogs aren't his favorite animals, but he likes most animals well enough. He's always gotten along with animals better than people.]
All right.
[And he'll do as directed. He doesn't say anything of consequence to the dog, just speaks about mathematics, of all things. But it's something to say, something to cling to, and the dog is very obviously there and breathing like a furnace.]