Friends: The One with the Double Dutch "Of course," said Herman. As you'll find out when you return as a commissioner. I sometimes while away the hours between crisis summits by sitting there composing poetry. "Ah yes, your famous haikus," said Nick. Come up with any good lines recently? "I was quite proud of this one," said Herman. " 'Foolish British howl / And beat their chests like monkeys. / The Project steams on." " "Not bad," said Nick, admiringly. "It's better in the original Flemish," said Herman, modestly. Dave's henchman seemed to sense the cordiality in the air, and glanced up from his BlackBerry. "I think he's getting suspicious," said Herman. Quick - you'd better thump the table and look annoyed. Nick complied. "You really must come round for dinner!" he yelled, furiously. "That would be delightful!" said Herman sternly. My wife really has missed Miriam's cooking! Nick smirked. "Do you think he's bored yet?" he asked his guest, nodding towards the figure in the corner, who seemed to have resumed his game of BrickBreaker. I would be, if I were him. It's a pity, really. Such a feast of reason, and the poor fellow's missing out. "Exactly," said Nick. It's such a relief to speak to someone who shares my love of Coetzee and Spinoza... And I to encounter an equally poetic soul. I tell you, having to deal with that brute Farage - it can be really quite upsetting. "You should try putting up with these ghastly Tories," said Nick. One of them even had the temerity to ask me whether I could name anything at all Brussels had done to deserve its Nobel Prize. "The fiend!" said Herman. Why, I can think of a thousand things. There was an embarrassing pause, broken by Nick, with: "That little bakery!" "Exactly!" said Herman, with relief. But the pastries are getting terribly expensive. "All the more reason to increase your budget," said Nick, sympathetically. I'll have a word with Dave...