[ god. that is a potential horror story. john's been feeling paranoid since the ceremony. anyone whose wandering gaze has lingered a bit too long on him has been subjected to a scrutinizing stare as he tries to figure out whether it's mary or not. that's just one problem with having a missing wife who can shapeshift into anyone she has physical contact with – he doesn't know how many forms she can assume. ]

Mmm... yeah, I'd say so. It's a really physically and mentally demanding sport. There's always something to do. You don't really notice how sore you are until after the match's over. [ this is just a small glimpse into john's blessed middle-class upbringing. now he's drinking beer in the middle of the day with a baltimore pauper. rather than push on with the subject of sports, john decides to play it safe and probes something he knows will is actually interested in. ] How did you take up fishing?