After about an hour immersed in my emails, I start to feel bleary-eyed: a clear sign I need a break. It was a full-on conference, so it’s not really surprising. I snap the cover over my iPad again and sit back in my seat, closing my eyes momentarily. When I open them, I catch my tablemate stealing a glance at me. Offering him a genuine smile in return, I decide there’s no harm in striking up a conversation to pass the final half-hour of the journey. After two days of seminars and professional networking, I’m craving a bit of ‘crap chat’.

‘Do you live in Glasgow?’ I ask him.

‘No,’ he replies. I can’t place his accent apart from it’s English. ‘I’m heading there for a stag weekend. Mate from uni.’

‘A stag weekend in Glasgow? Good luck.’

‘Thanks, think I’ll need it. Will be a lively one: there might just be a leopard print mankini involved.’ He gives me a wink.

‘Ouch.’ I wince in sympathy for the poor groom.

‘Not my doing, I must add. His friends from school. They’re a bit wild.’

‘I hope you enjoyed knowing him.’

‘That’s been on my mind too.’ He chuckles and I find my eyes drawn to that cheek dimple. ‘I’ve been on a couple of nights out with them before, so I’ve an idea what he’s in for. Are you from Glasgow yourself?’

‘Yup. Can’t you tell?’

‘I didn’t want to be presumptuous.’ He takes a swig from his bottle of mineral water. ‘Not that familiar with Scottish accents.’

There’s a short silence between us. I fiddle with my phone, while the man thumbs the pages of the book in front of him. Not quite the flowing ‘crap chat’ I was hoping for. More like the tongue-tiedness of a first date.

‘You said you were at a conference. Anything interesting?’ he asks eventually.

‘Interesting to me, but job-related. So maybe not interesting to you.’

‘What does that mean? Do I gather you enjoy your job?’

‘Possibly more so than the average person would consider healthy. Anyhow, if you’re not from Glasgow, where are you from?’

‘I’m a Brummie. From Birmingham, born and bred.’

I pick up my phone and google the term. ‘Ah, I see. A colloquial name for Birmingham or the Birmingham dialect. It’s also a Portuguese surname, according to Wikipedia. Did you know that?’

‘I did not.’ He raises an eyebrow at me. ‘And I’m not sure I’m any better off now I do. Do you verify everything you’re told through your phone? Or is it just to make sure total strangers don’t feed you false info?’

I replace my phone on the table. ‘I’d say it’s more of a bad habit.’

There’s another slightly awkward silence, then he asks, ‘Was the conference in Birmingham, then?’

I nod.

‘What did you think of it? Had you been before this trip?’

‘Yes, but not for years. I liked it. It’s really changed.’

The man nods. ‘It has. Birmingham’s never been seen as a place to visit, but I reckon the city centre regeneration is putting it on the map.’