Stone Clearing With Richard Herring - Chapter 40

Episode Date: October 18, 2019

Chapter 40 - Lady in Red. It's 8.39am on 18th October and Rich has a lot of work to do, but instead he's doing this. It's a full podcast which ticks all your boxes and, fingers crossed, has done enough to thwart Brexit. Remember to donate to the ditch when it succeeds. Along the way there are rules, madrigals, out of breathness, speculation about impregnated boots and government attempts to thwart the project. Plus the welcome return of the log dog. And some mud.

Stone Clearing with Richard Herring Hello there, it's the 18th of October 2019, it's 8.39, just turned and I'm heading onto the field. Welcome to Stone Clearing with Richard Herring, if you don't know what that is by now, catch-up grandad or grandma, because it's obvious what it is. It does exactly what it says on the tin, but there is no tin and that is the mystery of it all. It's a momentous day for the Stone Clearing podcast today, we have a lot of work to do. Beyond the usual remit of Clearing Stones, we are going to try and stop Brexit today. It's not looking good Boris Johnson in this game of stone-based chess, seems to be the upper hand, but the Stones will not be defeated by someone as puny as Boris Johnson, and we will get to that bit later. What was coming here, you can chase those birds in the set. The field covered in a soft, verdant covering of grass, I think just grass seeds. This is an official crop, and just immediately as I enter the field, I see four or five Stones get intrigued me, a couple of roundies, a bit more of a chonker, and a bit of a Millennium Falcon there, which will go on to the opening can, just from a distance, tossed casually on.

The ground is damp, the sun is coming up, it's a warmish day. More spherical stone stones are interesting to me today, which is interesting. I'm hassle-hoffing a little into the field. Someone tweeted me, I think it was Simon Flint tweeted me to say, what does hassle-hoffing mean? And that makes me worried because you must not just listen to a few of these podcasts, you have to listen to all of them, even the one where the phone was in my pocket and not working. You can't skip what's going to be meaningless and you're going to get confused, you're going to go, what's this, hassle-hoffing? Well, and of course it should be hassle-hoffing as well, when I introduced that term I was kind to you. So please, do not come to this podcast midway through, start at the beginning, walk your way through, full dog walk in the distance, could have seen me. I think I've got a way with it, wearing my white boots and my running socks, which is always a mistake. One of the socks already has slipped down my foot a little, making for an uncomfortable stone clip. But like Thomas Beckett, sometimes if you are truly devout, you have to make life uncomfortable yourself, you wore a hair-shirt and I wear running socks inside Wellington Boots. And Wolfie trying to dig some stuff up there. What have you found, girl?

The fire now has forgotten, largely forgotten, there's some dark earth here by the next city with the fire. Wolfie happily chasing after these stones. It's a beautiful, bright, crisp morning, you would have no idea of the world beyond being in turmoil. And that's sort of the beauty of Stoneclave, Wolfie very excited about these two stones, he sees this all because of the game there. Of course it is not Wolfie. We hear about pawns within all of this stuff, Wolfie, our lives meaningless, the stones dictating all. I mean, it's still at this stage where I'm just spoiled for choice with which stones I choose to rescue and liberate and which I leave behind for now. I seem to be going for the eggs and the spheres, mainly, but not exclusively today. All that one's rolled right down to someone's garden, but at least it's off the field. And I'm scanning her eyes to see if I can do a good house off for you. I mean, if you can't work out what it means you're a fucking idiot, it's not about a night rider, is it?

Grow up. There's a spike confusion that someone did mention about the Berlin Wall, which I could understand that one at least. But I think that was Brenda Soil who pointed out that. Thanks. Do keep tweeting in and do keep your emails coming in. We do read it as many as we can. There are too many to read. The Duke of Wellington, the current Duke of Wellington has been in touch to say how do you choose which socks to wear inside your wellingtons? Is this still obsessed with wellingtons? I guess if your family had invented the wellingtons, you would be on about it all the time as well. And let's not judge the current Duke of Wellington. Thank you for getting in touch. Yeah, do be careful about your, you know, wellingtons are a sensible thing to wear in the wet. I mean, that's why you're tuning into the podcast to get pieces of advice like that.

You wouldn't get that anywhere else, but do be careful about the inner footwear. After Wellesley, the original Duke of Wellington failed to mention, you do have to pick up the sock beneath the wellingtons. And my feet are dry, but uncomfortable. And using those wellingtons though to kick. Kick some stones out of the way, some way away from the Brexit ditch. But I am sort of thinking about my strategy. The ditch has worked so far, no one can deny that. But is it losing its power? I mean, I think if you believe in the brick ditch, I'm hoping that once this whole thing's over, people will come to the ditch and provide the offerings of stones and cash. But that time is not yet here, that's why it's all over.

Before we make any hasty payments, I'd put a little card reader in there actually, because some people carry so much money these days. That's just a little note to myself in the future. Not that I listen back to these. I mean, anyone who listens to these is a fucking idiot as far as I'm concerned, but let's keep that to ourselves for now. A little slip there, the wellingtons. They are good for keeping you dry, but sometimes not so good for keeping the footing going, eh? I mean, I'm almost sick with looking at all the stones that I have to clear, and the choice is too much. It's like a glut, it's like you've been charring the chocolate factory, being Augustus Gloop, and suddenly realizing that, however much you love chocolate, having infinite amount of chocolate forced down your throat is not always the best thing.

And yeah, I mean, a couple of months ago, I would have been saying, oh, where are all the stones? I can just pick up, just lying on the ground without even having to try. But now, that is the human nature, that's the human condition, I mean. We wish for something, and then when we have it, we regret it. I think I'd rather be in this position than a stone draught, but I'm just saying it makes me feel physically ill to look at all the stuff that I have to clear, and to be faced with this choice. One sock's staying on fine, but the other one slipped right down on my toes now. This was a condom, and my foot was having sex with my boot.

This would be a very dicey time to ejaculate, probably the foot semen would end up in the sock, but there would be a danger of boot impregnation, and who would want to see the awful progeny of a foot in a boot? It wouldn't be worth any money to see that. Wolfie, we are a poo, and I'm going to be responsible, I think that's close enough to the field of play to be nice and clear that up. It's on the verge, my wife would leave this one, but I am a better poo monitor than her. Using a freezer bag, for those of you interested in the dog poo side of this podcast. People use this podcast for lots of different reasons, and as an artist I cannot be in control of that. I know what I'm trying to create, if you're using it to sleep, because you're interested in masturbating to a man,

a slightly unfit man out of breath. I'm saying you do not have a mission to do that, but I can't stop you doing that. People who are just interested in dog poo collection, for whatever reasons. It can only be bad if you think about it. Ooh, found a nice one, really nice, deeply buried there, bigger size than you'd expect. It is a bit covered in mud, and I'm not going to shake it all off. Some of it is falling off naturally, but it will be washed away by the coming rains, and hopefully return to the field. The first rule of stone poo is there are no rules to stone poo.

The second rule is you shouldn't be removing any organic matter from the field. That is what the field is, which should be. Occasionally, you can't be asked any further to break that rule. That's how I feel about most rules, really. Occasionally you can't be asked, I've murdered a few people, and got away with it so far. As long as you keep it quiet, no one really generally suspects you. That's my little tip about rules. That was a good long throw there, landing on the can opposite the main can.

Someone stuck a big stick up in my can, and it's still there. I'm not sure I approve. It's for stones, not sticks, and sticks and stones can break your bones. So don't put sticks and stones together, just stones on their own. They will not break your bones. So we're going the longer way around. It's going to be a while until we get to the ditch that stopped Brexit. When it continues to stop Brexit, that's the jeopardy, really, of this episode.

And we'll continue beyond the episode, of course. A little bit of brick here again. It's quite ancient. Doesn't matter into the bushes, it goes. Sorry, archaeologists. That's just the way it is. My fingers clammy with dirt. A little giveaway to any dog walkers I might encounter.

And I'm straying out into the fields, and not seeing a whole lot of stuff out here, actually. I'm close enough to the edge to throw fairly comfortably. That would have just dipped onto the beach head. And again, similar throw. What's this? There's a stone calling to me from here and hassled hopping out to it. But it's quite a nice one. Not that big.

Not one I've thrown a bit higher. Bounces nicely, neatly out of the field of play. Just checking to see if anyone's around. A nice roundish one, slightly truncated ball of a stone. A bit like the Death Star. A circle cut out of it. Another bit of ancient looking brick. I mean, I hope I'm not slowly removing a Roman villa from the field, but perhaps I am.

And I don't care. I'm gonna say I hope I'm not, but I don't care. They're just making the most of this time when I can make this slight journey out into the field. Try and clear a few of these stones, but it's very much grab and throw. If I go much further out, I won't have to carry. Oh, Wolfie tried to grab that one in mid-air, just missed it luckily. But clearing quite another bit of brick. I mean, I think that definitely this is almost certainly it.

Some kind of building must have been out here at some point. Not seeing any little bits of mosaic. That was the heaviest I only may have heard from the grunts, top masturbation. That's right, baby. I'm throwing these towards the base of the tree where there is a nice rough stone wall appearing. That one's missed it little by, but off the field. That's all that really matters. Nice into the bushes all, and a few nice, nice sized ones out here now.

Watch out, Wolfs! Good girl. I have been distracted by a whole host of good medium-mediums, really. Maybe medium-smalls, if I'm honest. I might be talking up a little bit. Nothing massive, but this one's about the biggest of the day. Let's see how I can throw that 10 feet. Whoa! Sticked up my hand a bit, but basically off the field. Wolfie is getting a little bit too close to these now, so come back to me.

That's slightly worried, but you know, good stone clear. I can't avoid their dogs and children. Occasionally a child or dog will be hit and killed, but on the whole there's a dog walker coming, observing me. A Labrador guy, and I've been so caught up in what I'm doing. There's no way I've known he's seen me or not. And also, just too excited to stop. There's a nice chunky brick. Not a little brick in this case, just look like one. Yeah, I've managed to get quite unfitted and quite understand it.

I was doing so well, but I still haven't been drinking. I'm not eating any chocolate, eating a bit more ice cream than I should be, possibly. Well, the dog walker is in the other direction, so I'm going to take that as a sign that we're safe to get back out into the field. I mean, this is quite a good workout because there's a lot of throwing here, so bending, throwing. You know, you can just stone clear just to get fitter if you want. I don't care. It doesn't matter if you're fitter or unfit, you will be dead soon in the eons of time. At least your life is just a blink. But as long as the stones are cleared, I don't care how you justify it.

Oh, and that's often quite my way out now. Oh, there's a few out here that have caught my eye. So I'm going to see one of the ones that we've stoned. I know it is. Oh, let's have a look. So there's a good chunky half ball, sort of weird shaped one. What's the other one that I like to look of? It may have escaped me. There are some beauties out here, actually.

It has to be said. Too far to throw though, that's the issue. And walking past just dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful stones that still need to be cleared. It would break a lesser man than me, but I'm remaining strong. And of course, logically, it's foolish to be clearing the stones near to the edge here, because I'll be able to do that once the crops are grown. They have been plowed now. They're not going to change too much the next year. So I should be getting out there. That's my advice. Out onto the field at this stage. If your field has been plowed, if it hasn't, please do wait.

I'll just make the occasional sortie. That one's a bit sharp, but I managed to throw that thing at myself too badly. Wow! And despite this year of work, I have to say, to a casual observer, to feel almost identical to what it was 12 months ago. And apart from this, of course, the plow was brought up in fresh stones, but mainly because I haven't really cleared any kind of percentage of them. I mean, we're not even at half a percent of the stones on the field.

Which implies there's at least another 200 years of work in this. Which is fine. I'll do my part. And do touch these stones carefully. There's a hedge here. If it's too hard a throw, could send your derma through the fence and hit the child on the other side. If that's someone who's just shouting, well, they don't bring the other side of the fence. So there we go.

There we go. Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted. That looks like a bit of an asteroid there. But that's what it has to be cleared off. That's why stone-cleared work is never really done, because you could clear the whole field, then bang, a few asteroids fall on the field back to square one. So even if you clear a field, do keep returning to it. Just a check for asteroids. Don't ever feel you've finished this job.

Right up to the intersection between the forbidden field that I sometimes stray into. The top corner. And I think we're not going to go all the way around. We'll cut across. The dog walker so far. Mind your mind hidden or going in another direction. Someone far and play on the other field. I'd better not risk going into that field.

There's someone there with a dog. But it might be a farmer. And there are a few stones here to be cleared to be fed before I should be thinking about going to the next field. We're going to cut across the diagonal. Just toss a few of these stones to the edge. There's a dog looking at me. The log dog is back. I think it's a log.

He's been hidden by the foliage. Been watching me all this time. When they send me back reports. Or is it a dog looking at me? It's very hard to tell. One day I'll take a photo of him so you can all judge for yourself. But today. Another dog walker right in the distance.

I'm being lucky really there's people far and far away. They cannot really tell what I'm doing. That one went onto the path but you can see another day. That one clearly out. Well thrown Richard. Quite a big one. Sort of shot put thing. Again great exercise.

We're heading to the central cairn. Just looking out for a good candidate to take to the central cairn. But it's a bit early to be picking everything up here. And he can of course always just throw a stone collar to the edge. This is a nice size one. Let's see how far I can get it. That's my best throw. And that's still six feet from the edge.

But better than it being out here. It's a slow process. I won't deny it. People hoping for a quick denouement to this series are going to be disappointed. People thinking this might grind to a halt. Also disappointed. We will carry on here. For as long as it takes.

It's a battle between me and the field. It's a battle I intend to win. The field will feel confident it will win. We will see. We will see who is here the longest. Me or the stones. And the moon is out today in the day. Always a step.

Scary prospect. Shining down at me. Mocking me really. It knows I am unlikely to ever get it. I am picking up a gun shaped like a pistol. A stone here. Which I will carry to the central can. It's been a good walk.

I have a lot of things I should be getting on with. I am way behind in my work. I am very stressed. But I think the time you put it into stone clearing. Even you think I should be using this hour to do my proper job. What am I doing? Actually I think you will find that the calmness you get from being out on the field. It's more than makes up for the time wasted.

You will go back invigorated ready to go. Maybe a bit tired from the little nap. But after that nap. Maybe have a sandwich. Then sit down and think about what you might be doing for work. Then work. And then knock enough time. Maybe don't bother for today.

Probably get it done in the future. Stay up late. That's my philosophy. That's where stone clearing helps. We are just relaxing you. Making you understand what is important. Writing a six part sitcom for Radio 4. That I have been working on for a month and a half.

No I only got half an episode written. It's not important in the grand scheme of things. Though it is quite important in terms of the scheme of things. Reading my kids and stuff. And not knowing actors and producers when there is nothing to do. So yeah I was actually thinking about it. It's pretty important. I don't know what the fuck am I doing out here.

Oh shit. So there is a dog walker standing wearing a red coat. Seen him just looking at me actually. She's been out there for a while. Observing and I'm so caught up in myself. There goes the pistol. The pistol didn't break when I threw it either. Which is always nice.

Let me just check. 29 minutes in. I think they are trying to engineer it. So that they bump into me. And then maybe it's interesting that that's the only place. Just as we approach the Brexit ditch. Of course if there is someone down there. When I get there.

It will be difficult for me to stop Brexit. Leave the files. Perhaps onto me. Understanding how much work I've done in stopping their evil work. That could be the undoing of this whole scheme. Slowly. We made it. A bit too far from the central can now on the other side.

Tried to throw a stone towards it. But to no avail. But it's closer. Close it to us eventually. And we're heading down now. This is usually where the podcast gets a little more philosophical. This is where we were talking about the war between the flesh people. And the stone people.

Last time. I just. Unfortunately didn't mean to talk about that yet. I'm saving that up for episode 125. So please just forget that if you. And I would hope you forget quite a lot of this quite quickly. After listening to it. I'm sure a few of you are writing it all down.

Putting in a big book. The leather. Covers. For the ages. We're using a big quill. Translating all them. The S's I'm saying to F's. As it should be.

But most of you. I think it'd be weird if you. I remembered everything I'd said. Or anything I'd said. Just trying to find this. There's a lady in red. This is one Christopher was talking about. Maybe it wasn't closed fast.

Still hopeful. We can have a little pun dog in the song. No. In the walking stick. Not sure. The lady in red. Is walking a pug. Unfeel.

Always a really lovely sound here. The future might have to come back for it. This lady's gone. Perhaps to Waffa. Whoops. Come here sweetheart. Let's get you on the lead. Come here darling.

Come here. I'm just going to head back. I can't resist the stone I've passed. But will I see it again? Yes I will. There it is. Absolute beauty. Just have to make sure this is the lady in red.

She's not looking. As I pick it up. She's very close. This is a massive risk for this. It's the biggest stone of the day. I'm going to put it behind my back for now. Come on. It's a Waffa.

Oh it's quite hard to hold it behind my back. In fact it's so big I'm going to have to tuck it into my arm like an emu. Come on. Good morning. I think the stone is in. It's just looking right at me now. The dog is trying to come up to Waffa. Oh she's coming.

This is like the size of a leather book. This is where I'm holding. Good morning. She just turned her back so I can just dump it on the can there. Which is good. Coming up to the main pole. Stone pole. I mean that was a significant find and a significant addition to that can.

Because the can never grows but I think maybe that will help it grow a little bit. That's got four goes hitting the pole. I think the path has come a bit closer to the pole. I think it's become a little bit easier. So there you go. First time with a big one. Just missing the second one. It's in the third time.

It's in the fourth time. Yeah we're definitely closer. The path has changed of course. With the plow. And made that game almost redundant as a form of entertainment. I hope you didn't cheer. It's definitely too easy. Some impressive mushrooms down there.

Toadstools. And Simon Fungus has been in touch. To say have you ever mistaken a toadstool for a stone? Interesting question. I guess you think about that sort of thing a lot with your name. And no not yet. I'm able to tell the difference generally speaking. I appreciate your point.

There are some that are similar colours to stones but the texture is so different isn't it? So that's not really a big concern. And you never really should be eating stones. So there isn't really a danger of catching a poisonous or a hallucinogenic stone. Or mushroom accidentally. But thanks for the question. All your questions are equally valid however stupid they may be. So don't worry Simon.

Don't think you have to ask a question based on your name. I know there's a lot of people doing that and it's sort of a bit weird. If anything it makes this whole thing look a bit like it's being made up as it goes along. Which I don't like but I can only work with what you're giving me. And it's not made up. It's not made up. These are genuine. If anyone's doubting they're genuine e-mails coming in.

Okay Bryony Path has been in touch. And she's saying how much do you respect the paths around the field? I mean you know, again it's not helping me Bryony. I mean who would make up the name Bryony if they were making up the name No One? So that proves it's true but some people don't believe the words around stone. They think it's a flat stone. Even now with all the evidence presented to them. So these are the kind of people I have to deal with on the internet.

So you're not helping. Stop not helping. Here at the main cam. Just within two or three feet of it there are some very nice big stones that have appeared. We can add to the pretty bounteous hall. And we are getting close to the Brexit dish now and we do seem to be unencumbered. I mean the lady in red are definitely voting for Brexit. There's not an ounce of doubt in my mind about that.

But she has miscalculated in this game. Maybe she realised that. I think I tricked her a little bit by just pausing a little bit in the middle of the field to pick up that big stone. There's a lovely big flat pebble here. I mean big pebble but like round which I'm tossing. And now that's gone a little bit further than I hoped but still off the field. That's all the matters. Ah woofie!

That would make me in the face when I'm working. Ah, so this soil down here looks a little tilled when the seeds are in. There's a nice definite that's a medium medium. What's going on? It's running casually towards the cam that's trying to stop the animals getting through that hole. The other one joins it. It fell well I think, can't really see. But it seemed to fall pretty directly into the hole to block it.

Stone's one nature nil. And definitely the path down here, the club has reclaimed a good meter or two of his field in the plough this time. And he can blame them. But it makes them a bit easier just to kick these additional stones into touch. And it's another reason why you do have to make sure your stones go right to the edge. Because if an unscrupulous farmer piles up the ones just simply near the edge, then you will have to clear them again my friends. And there's an old saying from medieval times,

if you clear a stone once, then you not be announced. If you clear a stone twice, then you think children's bums are nice. So we don't want to be that guy. So it was a different time when you could say stuff like that. I'm not saying we should be talking about pedophilia. I was on roast battle this week. It's a TV show where you can say anything you want about anything and they love it. However you can, but you can't do jokes about pedophilia.

So things have changed even in a program like that. But the medieval times did not have as strong a code of ethics as roast battle. So actually we're at the, what am I doing? I was walking past that after throwing a couple of stones in. This is the ditch that's got Brexit and I've got to really add some fire to this. I think every stone I add will be a vote against. So that's five we're in. This should be the majority for defeating breakfast.

Eight in, let's make it 10 and then I think we'll be solid. And if to vote tomorrow's wins by 10 votes, you'll know who to blame and who to thank and where to come and deposit your money. Even if it wins by one vote, I suppose 10 votes I've just thrown in have overturned the nine vote majority the other way. So I'm predicting 10 votes, 10 votes clear. It's not what the papers are saying, but that's what the stones are saying. Listen to the photons, my friend.

For they shall sing ye, sing ye a merry dance. That is in old English. Magical. Listen to the photons, my friend. For they shall sing you a merry dance. Don't listen to the birds or trees. Don't listen to your underpants. Listen to the stones, listen to the photons.

And they in turn will listen to ye, my friend, my fine friend. Beautiful song. There's hundreds of these. We'll try and dredge a few of them up for you over the coming years. So heading back down now. That's the podcast nearly over. Thank you for a couple of emails, maybe. We've had some rules.

We've had some masterisms. We've had songs. Had a dog doing a poo. We've had some heavy breathing. We've had some boring bits to help you sleep. I think we've had everything we need. If I'm missing anything, I do get in touch. If there's something you like that I used to do in this,

I've forgotten about. We've had the tone pole. We've had the Brexit ditch. I mean, we're covering all the bases. There's a dog at the end there. Watery seas, pick up. So lavender leaf has been in touch. Lavender leaf.

You might have heard from her before. Again, how would I make up them? I mean, there was just some lavender there. You could make up a name like that. Again, just for the people. She's saying, how can we be sure that the emails are getting enough from made-up people? Some of the names sound like things you've seen on the journey.

And that you're just making up and sometimes the way you read them, the emails, it sounds like you're just making them up. Don't criticise me for the way I read, Lavender. That is, you know, I have an issue with it. I'm an adult, and sure, I should know how to read a bit more easily than this, but I find it difficult still.

So don't mock me for that. I've shown Lavender leaf there. And now you know Lavender. I mean, you know, people will go, well, maybe Lavender leaf's made up, but you can all email me in and I'll email your back. I'll mention you all individually, and then you'll know that it's true. So Lavender leaf now, yeah.

It doesn't prove, I suppose, that one email is real, that all of them are, but they are. What would I have to gain by making up? If nobody's listening, it doesn't matter if I'm pretending that there's people listening, because no one's listening to hear me talk about it. So what have I got to...

Where's the benefit? So, you know, just think about it logically, a bit, Lavender, and all the other people who doubt me. War Memorial Bus Stop has been in touch. I mean, that's some of just trying to make it look like I'm making names, that's the name on the email, but I think they've done that just to try and make that point. So, well, if they aren't, if Lavender leaf is wrong,

I mean, you know, they've obviously got together those two again to make me look like I'm making it up, because how would he know about Lavender leaf War Memorial Bus Stop? How come I'm called War Memorial Bus Stop? Because that doesn't prove any other use to call yourself that. So, I mean, if any, it proves I'm... that my emails are real, why would I make up War Memorial Bus Stop?

It's not even a human name. I would just, I'd say Simon War Memorial, or something like that, or a different first name. A lot of people will Simon do email me, so that's suspicious, but... So, you've actually War Memorial Bus Stop, you've just proven your own stupidity, haven't you? And you've proven that what I'm doing is real

and the emails are real, and all of this is real. I mean, obviously it's real, I mean, or any of us are real. Anyway, I'm going to go and even annoyed me now, so I'm going to release Wolfie from the Earthly Bonds. I don't know, let me do that. A good girl, and we're going to say goodbye, annoyed me War Memorial Bus Stop, if that is your real name, which I don't think it is,

because it's probably Simon hanging in a basket. Something like that, like a normal name. Anyway, that's it, oh, you've pissed me off, I'm going. I'll tune in again next time for more... This is for her, as the call kids call it. Oh, so cool, bye. Hey, any burns? How are we doing? What have you got a mouthful of?

Listen to the batons, my friend, For they shall think you were married and... Stoneclaw and Richard Herring started me with Richard Herring and Wolfie the Dog, plus the lady in red. That's pretty much it for the day. Thanks to Boris Johnson for his part in this podcast. The music is by Michael Cosgrave and the voice of the batons is Michael Faheen.

Listen to the batons And they, in turn, will listen to you, my friend, my friend.