The thought of sobriety is intolerable to me, he thinks, but doesn't say it aloud. After all, if he said that, he might end up sounding like a drunk. So, instead, he says (to his mind, a very polite-sounding) "I'll take it under advisement." But then, because his curiosity is aroused, he has to ask. "But - how is it different, then?" A small shrug. "More people, obviously."

Let this be the new topic of conversation, he prays. Let them discuss this instead of his hopes and dreams and aspirations and how he failed or failed to fail and so on and so forth. Gossip. Gossip is much, much safer.