[ He certainly did his best...but upon McGillis making the comment that he might be the most balanced person, he'll end up looking a little surprised. That's the first time anyone's so much as said anything like that to him in his entire life? ]

Ah...

[ He didn't know what to say to that, so he's thankful McGillis asked the question. But he did feel a little happy to hear it. ]

He was, yes. We'd known each other since childhood. We used to go around doing the kinds of stupid things that friends did when we were younger, if you know what I mean. And I knew him better than anyone I'd ever met outside of family. Even when we were unable to speak to each other for a long stretch of time, that never changed.