Michael Holden's All ears

Reputation management may be a growing digital business, but around a table of drinkers you're whatever people remember you as, even if that doesn't include your name. Man 1 "What was his name?" Man 2 "He was just known as Bus Driver." Man 1 "He looked like a white Nelson Mandela" Man 3 (Getting out his phone and dialling) "I'm gonna find out." Man 4 "So who was he?" Man 1 "He came down here and got a job on the buses and if he saw you drinking outside he'd stop the bus and have a chat – people on the bus would go berserk." Man 2 "He was the least sophisticated man I ever met. He would just smoke, drink and eat regardless of what was going on around him, where he was or who was there." Man 3 (Annoyed with his phone) "He's not in, I'll send a text. What was his name?" Man 1 "I can't remember." Man 4 "I quite admire that sort of attitude in a way. What became of him?" Man 2 "There was some trouble at the bus garage." Man 3 "I think he'd just had enough of being down here." Man 1 "I did see him back home a couple of years ago in a pub. He was sat with his wife – you could taste the perfume on her – I said I hadn't seen him in a while and he said a great thing …" Man 4 "Which was what?" Man 1 (acting this out) "He just looked ahead, drew on his fag and said, 'Even a dog gets let out for a piss …'" Man 3 (more anxious than ever) "What was his name?…"