[ John's mid-mouthful when Thomas brings up rugby, and he swallows it down with an indignant look. ]

If there was rugby on, we wouldn't be drinking wine and eating steak.

[ it's said with the offended mock-disbelief of a die-hard fan faced with the ludicrous reality that anyone could even suggest that one could possibly sit and eat a pleasant meal when one ought to be sitting haphazardly on bar stools, swigging beer and groaning at missed opportunities to score. it's play, and John sustains it just long enough for the fun to settle before he casts an almost unconscious glance over his shoulder at where a TV would sit perfectly over the bar. if this were London, if they were home. ]

Would be good though, wouldn't it. I wonder how many people here even know the game.

[ there are plenty of Earthlings here, from who he's met. but so many are American, and scattered all over times. not that promising, really. ]