He nods as he slurps down the soup-- mm, yes, stove, yes, burn the house right down, right-- but looks up, startled, when the woman bursts in.

"I'm-- here," he agrees, bewildered. "I'm, I was--" Whoops, coughing. Actually, he thinks, that's probably best. He has no idea what to say. I wasn't on my way to work because I don't know where it is or how to do my job?