I was having some drinks with the guys at the bar, early one June, a couple of years ago.

A friend of theirs came into the main room, and spoke to them at length. There was much back-slapping and shaking of hands.

One of the fellas came to order some drinks from me, smiled broadly and teased, “Happy May!”

It was early June. I was Bewildered and so I said, “May? It’s June, you cretin!” and proceeded to pour the pints.

It transpired the newly arrived friend had just become a grandfather. The baby was a little late, as I understand happens sometimes with first babies, and the parents had already picked the name by the time the little girl arrived.

They’d called her ‘May’.

I learnt something that night. It’s important to get the context before you start throwing around the word ‘cretin’.