Hey, I didn't have a word for that: "elliptical conversation". Thanks. :-) And yes, that's one of my favorite situations too. *g*
I have no clue whether it was meant to be a parody or if it was meant to be serious, but at least at the point when Jim discovered that Blair actually named the plant and talked to *him* I can see him starting to feel a few pangs of conscience. Not "guilt" per se but hey, he knew he tried to keep it a secret and the plant died and Blair *seemed* not to feel to great about it and somehow it *could* have been his fault because *if* he had said something sooner the plant probably could have been re-potted and would maybe have made it and ... yadda yadda.
Jim didn't knew that Blair's somewhat depressed and pensive mood came from the thinking-process which led to the final conclusion about roots and pots *g* not from Wayfarers actual "dead". From Jim's POV Blair apparently was disappointed that Wayfarer didn't make it and *somehow* it could have been his fault because of the aforementioned reasons.
So, I guess what Jim felt was a bad conscience about not admitting what he did. You know, I'll bet Jim's dad raised his son to have a bad conscience if he did something wrong and was silent about it, teaching him that this is not a honorable way to behave. And those childhood-rules have a tendency to stick with us and give us a bad conscience even over minor things and even if our brain clearly tells us that the matter isn't worth it. *g*
I especially like that Blair has no clue about Jim fearing the moment Blair would leave one day and lays Jim's fear to rest without even realizing what "big thing" he does with that. :-)
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I have no clue whether it was meant to be a parody or if it was meant to be serious, but at least at the point when Jim discovered that Blair actually named the plant and talked to *him* I can see him starting to feel a few pangs of conscience. Not "guilt" per se but hey, he knew he tried to keep it a secret and the plant died and Blair *seemed* not to feel to great about it and somehow it *could* have been his fault because *if* he had said something sooner the plant probably could have been re-potted and would maybe have made it and ... yadda yadda.
Jim didn't knew that Blair's somewhat depressed and pensive mood came from the thinking-process which led to the final conclusion about roots and pots *g* not from Wayfarers actual "dead". From Jim's POV Blair apparently was disappointed that Wayfarer didn't make it and *somehow* it could have been his fault because of the aforementioned reasons.
So, I guess what Jim felt was a bad conscience about not admitting what he did. You know, I'll bet Jim's dad raised his son to have a bad conscience if he did something wrong and was silent about it, teaching him that this is not a honorable way to behave. And those childhood-rules have a tendency to stick with us and give us a bad conscience even over minor things and even if our brain clearly tells us that the matter isn't worth it. *g*
I especially like that Blair has no clue about Jim fearing the moment Blair would leave one day and lays Jim's fear to rest without even realizing what "big thing" he does with that. :-)