The scenario

Counter assistant Melanie asks to speak to technician Vicky in private.

“You OK, Mel?” asks Vicky, as they sit down in the staff room.

“Yes, I’m fine, but it’s Martin I wanted to ask about,” replies Mel. “It’s a bit embarrassing…”

“Oh, don’t worry, I don’t embarrass easily!” says Vicky. “What can I help you with?”

Melanie blushes, then says: “Well, Martin can’t, you know, get it up. It’s not like we are at it all the time – we’ve been married for 20 years, after all – but it’s still important to us, you know? He says he’ll go to the GP, but I don’t think they will do anything because they’d prefer him to ‘abstain’ given his high blood pressure. I mean, he’s only been on those new tablets for a few weeks.”

“What did they put him on for his BP, Mel?” enquires Vicky.

“Losartan. It’s doing the trick too, his blood pressure is lower than it has been for ages,” answers Melanie. “But that might also be to do with all the weight he’s lost and the fact he’s given up smoking – the nurse couldn’t believe it when his blood tests showed that he was no longer pre-diabetic! What do you reckon, should he go to the GP and ask to try Viagra?”