I went swimming the other day with my friend and support worker Zoë. We were gliding along next to each other, chatting as we swam.

All of a sudden I ticced “I had sex with a cat.” Zoë turned towards me and said excitedly, ‘Really?’

I felt from her voice that it was a genuine question and that she was excited at the prospect of gossip. I said ‘No, of course not, that was a tic’.

She laughed with embarrassment, saying, ‘Sorry, I forgot for a moment.’ Shaking my head with bemusement, I wondered whether to be pleased that she’s so comfortable with my tics that they no longer register, or insulted that she actually thought I might have had sex with a cat!