He's not really listening as he plops down on the ground next to him, "Have you ever been to the beach, Ned? All sand and crabs and water and lost friends, and bloody burning suns..." He doesn't give time to let Ned even question what he meant by all that, "BUT THERE are shells everywhere. Clam shells; that's the cockle shells. You can eat them -- the clams, not the shells."

He flops on his back, rubbing at his eyes, "Right as rain! OH! Another gardening reference. Oh, I'm good!" He was anything but.