[he feels a little flutter despite the lack of expressiveness with that remark, and he's glad to pivot to other encounters...until he remembers other encounters.]

Er...

[he fidgets, then sees to laying out dishes on a towel to dry.] Well, I'm not...super sure? Since she wasn't cold or anything, but, but there was this old lady... She thought I was her son? Or...pretended she thought I was, it's...hard to say. But...she, uh...basically bossed me around like I was, had me doing chores and things and, and stuff...

[like taking a bath.]