In terms of my work situation with the Doofus, I may have been dealing with it in the wrong way. Instead of getting frustrated about things and dreaming up scenarios in which she’s congealed in a huge vat of semi-skimmed milk that’s gone off, I should be making the best of it.

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have Parl Pilkington. I have the Doofus.

Take the following example. It’s fair to say that il Doofy doesn’t exactly have her finger on the pulse. Five minutes ago she suddenly announced to the only person in the office she regularly converses with that:

"I saw Star Trek for the first time at the weekend. I watched one episode. It’s really good".

After my colleague pointed out there have been umpteen Star Trek films and spin offs she commented, without a trace of irony, and as if Captain Kirk’s adventures weren’t fiction that :

"Wow. It’s very exciting isn’t it; going into the galaxy".

But I tell you what: her excitement at seeing Star Trek will be nothing compared to when she sees Star Wars in about ten years time.

She then returned to her chair, which it now takes about two minutes for her to be seated in after standing, due to the fixation with posture she’s developed over the last two weeks (she’s even going round the office looking at other people’s posture and taking notes).

The podcast’ll be available in the iTunes store in time for Christmas.