Sure as hell feels like it. She only did after I told her I loved her and after we--

[He pauses and doesn't go on, too embarrassed to admit he'd been living with a woman for months without sleeping with her. That'd be a prime source of derision back home.]

--It doesn't matter. It felt like she left because I did something wrong.

[Her mention of choking gets the ghost of a smile on his face.]

Friends works. I'm not interested in more with you.