Bumped into T.S. Eliot in a dream last night.

'I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,' he said.

This gave us pause. We stood there, quietly, for an age. Thinking sober thoughts about life. About humanity. About coffee.

After a long while I turned to him. 'and how big was it?' I asked.

'Sixteen and a half,' said Mr Eliot. 'or in dessert spoons: three.'