Jack raises an eyebrow—if Lou taught at the University of Vermont, then surely that means he was here when Burlington fell? Is that the reason why Lou refers to his normal life in the past tense? Killer plants overtaking a city is as good a way to lose one's sense of normality as any.

But that's too heavy for a lunch break conversation. Besides, Lou seems more interested in something else.

"Did he tell you we weren't talking?" Jack asks, amused even though nothing about this is very funny. "I don't know." He shrugs. "It's up to him."

That's the truth, as far as Jack knows.