[ charles just sort of gives a shrug in response — one that seems to mean i guess, and actually means it has always been easy for me for reasons i will not get into, but, you know! same difference.

so, with an easy smile, ] Sure, if you say it counts.

But you're not bad at this whole being encouraging thing, either. So I reckon you've got some experience with it, too, yeah?

[ attention: shifted. ball: over the net. ]