"They know I'm an old softie they can take advantage of," Ben mutters. "But they're helpful. There are parts of the plants we can't eat that the Faybo enjoy, and they keep the insects away, so it helps to be good neighbours."

Inside he starts up the heater and breaks a piece of cactus into a pot. "Okay, let's see what you remember. Which pieces of this are edible?" He picks out some of the plants they've gathers and starts going through them again, making a conversation about it and repeating what they already discussed.