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Dan is my new friend. He works at Tesco Express at Eynsham. Tesco is the UK equivalent of Walmart and Express is their convenience store format, in this case attached to a gas station.

Dan has been there for three months, although the larger Tesco store at Witney is trying to poach him. The store in Swindon is also interested in his services. The hours of the Swindon job would mean him not being able to play football on Saturday afternoons, although he has been thinking about giving up the football anyway. He scored a goal last Saturday, and he only ever scores when his girlfriend isn't watching.

Dan became my friend, and divulged all this information, during five minutes at the cash register this evening, and throughout the encounter I didn't utter a single word.

I have been toying with the idea of learning sign language for the deaf, but in the meantime have adopted face language for the deaf quadruplegic. A frown here, a raised eyebrow there and the world is my oyster. Or at least Dan's world is my oyster.

Dan himself was highly animated, head bobbing from side to side, arms waving, even raising his leg to demonstrate football. I was his inverse, night to his day, yin to his yang, bishop to his actress. At my most demonstrative moment I pursed my lips and frowned while simultaneously tilting my head to the right. Quite extrovert, I'm sure you will agree.

'See you soon mate' he said as I left. I raised the left corner of my mouth and nodded.