NANDO'S WITH CARLOS THE LIBERATOR

I had lunch with Carlos the Liberator today. Nando's it was. He outlined his theories about democracy in the 4th Century BC and how the King James version of the Bible (1611) introduced the idea of hierarchy to the church. I asked him whether he remembered the time we went camping and he had to sleep on some twigs.

Nando's has changed a lot since I was last there. There's no upstairs any more. What's more, I think someone somewhere decided they needed to up their game when it comes to customer service. Oh, they still have the old system - you still have to leave your coats draped over the back of the chair while you queue up to order. However, rather than spotty teenagers grumpily punching in the numbers, this time a very friendly lady took our orders patiently and professionally.

The food arrived quickly, in the arms of a fast-moving young man. Then, slinking out of nowhere like a Nando's Ninja, the manager (dressed in black) appeared by our table for the check-back.

"How is the food guys?" he asked, politely. He had moustachios.

"Yeah good," said we, for such is the expected reply in this situation, when conducted between Englishmen. He disappeared just as stealthily, apparently satisfied.

The ambience has changed too. There was a time when it was as noisy as a swimming pool. They used to pipe in generic Portuguese (sounding) music to samba across the taste of the piri-piri chicken and spicy rice. Not today - the background music was much gentler and subtler, and the echoing chatter and clink was gone. Admittedly, I reflected, it could easily be because we were there on a Thursday lunch time and not a Friday night, just before the cinema next door are showing Pitch Perfect 2... or whatever.

It was great to see Carlos. For me, he typifies the reason why flumpbook has distorted so many relationships. By email, he comes across as argumentative, contrary and sometimes pinpointedly controversial. Face-to-face though, there's a humility to the guy that I really warm to - and it's nice to see that in a person's eyes, rather than to have to decipher it from between the lines in a flakebook comment or an email. It occurred to me that if he could capture that warmth somehow, balance it with the razor-sharp insight that he has and spin it out into the written word, he'd be a very good author indeed.

There was someone on the door, wishing us well as we left. That's a nice touch, especially as the Nando's system requires you to pay before you eat. Carlos and I made sure we wished her a good day too and she smiled at us both, deliberately making eye-contact and holding the door for us while I popped open my umbrella.

"Shame you live so far away," I said, "We should do this more often."

Carlos agreed.