He had been admitted to hospital because his diabetes had slipped hopelessly out of control. The experts were baffled. It was fascinating listening to all the great minds at the teaching hospital trying to fathom out why this had happened. However, the discussion was going nowhere until a dishevelled figure in the audience put his hand up. ‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘You’re all forgetting about his dog.’ The great and the good shifted with embarrassment and tried to avoid his eyes.