“Have you heard about “hypermiling?”

“No, I haven’t,” said Nick. “But anything with the word hyper in it must be good – hyperactive, hyperlink, hyperbaric, hyperbolic, hyperventilate, hyperdrive, hyperspace, hyperbola, hypergamy, hypertension.”

“I don’t know what hypergamy is, but I know that hypertension is not good for you.”

Nick held up a palm. “Don’t argue with me, I’ve got high blood pressure.”

“Why do I bother talking to you?”

“Because I’m a good listener. I may be the best listener you know. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you, ‘Nick knows how to listen.’ When you speak, you have my total and complete attention. I don’t butt in, I don’t go off on tangents, I don’t crack my knuckles, I don’t...”

“I am begging you to shut up.”

“Your wish is my command. I’m hanging on your every word, I’m...”

“Hypermilers try to see how far they can get their cars to go on each gallon of gas by using every trick they can come up with to save gas. They’ll turn off the car’s engine and coast down hill, they keep their car’s windows up to reduce drag; they draft behind 18 wheelers, stuff like that.”