Michael Tolliver is talking to his landlady, Anna Madrigal:

'I stay home and watch TV a lot."

'How is that?'

'How is what?'

The landlady flicked a crumb off the corner of her mouth. 'TV.'

Michael laughed. 'My favourite thing this week was a special report on circumcision.'

'Indeed?' Mrs Madrigal buttered another piece of toast.

'It was a hoot,' said Michael. 'They interviewed a circumcision expert named Don Wong.'

'No!'

'Michael crossed his heart. 'Swear to God.'

'And what did he have to say?'

Michael shrugged. 'Just that there's no valid reason anymore for mutilating little boys at birth. Jesus. How long does it take to figure things out? My mother isn't exactly a modern thinker, but she knew that thirty years ago.'

Mrs Madrigal smiled. 'You should write her a thank you note.'

'The funny thing is . . . I hated it when I was a kid. I was always the only kid in the shower room who wasn't circumcised, and it bugged the hell out of me. Mama said: "You just keep yourself clean, Mikey, and you'll thank me for this later. There's not a thing wrong with what God gave you."'

'Smart lady,' said Mrs Madrigal.

p. 168