I'm glad to see you, at any rate. You never really know who's still around... I have better luck meeting new friends than finding old ones.

[ He glances after Maskin, taking a bite of his food and chewing before he chases it with some wine. If there's anything off about the taste, it doesn't seem to register to him.

He's also using "friends" very broadly. ]

Most of them are hiding, I suppose, if they're even still alive. It's not too different from home in that regard. [ Another glance; he'd been cagey about his own imPort status with Maskin when the two of them had been alone, but with Bradbury here that seemed like a pointless facade. He cut another piece of meat and chewed, frowning slightly this time. ] We were discussing it a little, on the way back from Brooklyn. Uh -- not specifically, of course, but change isn't something we can really escape... easily. It only becomes more apparent as time passes how trapped we are.

[ He blinks, smiling a little and realizing he can't keep eye contact at that without feeling inappropriately moved by the sentiment. ]

It's good to see you, too. It's thanks to Mr. Maskin here I made it home [ "at all" ] in one piece. Very kind of him.