Mea gain

[Briggs, Michael]

     Hmmm... perhaps not the best first impression, there.
     
     Chris: no need for the flameproof nighty (got me some of
     them polyvinyl chloride pajamas, myself). You were right
     to upbraid me for my premature petulance; chronic nicotine
     withdrawal aside, I had no right to be so cranky or arrogant
     or whiney or whatever the hell I was. 
     
     Woefully wrong of you, though admirable I s'pose, to rise to
     Andrew Dinn's defence, however. He's right: I meant the "English 
     Dandy" bit as a compliment (thus the "notwithstanding"),though
     his explanatory allusions, alas, elude me. Damn US education.
     
     Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...