"Well, I do my best," he said. "Thanks." He'd had to fight long and hard to get to a point where anyone would call him self-aware, and he still had days when rationalism was a tough target to hit. But Madison seemed like a centred person, someone who was staying calm even when things were messed up so bad that he was drawing comparisons with the Gulag. "I think you'll be all right too, you seem really together."
He washed his hands again after putting the dishes in the dishwasher, but standing up had made him realise that the sedative wasn't totally out of his system yet. "This was so great of you, honestly. It makes a huge difference having someone to talk to, in a situation like this. That said, um, is it really rude if I excuse myself to go lie down again?" he asked. "I don't know what kind of horse tranquilisers they use on us in this place but I'm still working it off."