but he lived with his widowed mother , and she had been counting so on him running her up to nova scotia to see her sister , she said , but if john had commitments , why , she understood ; after all , she was old and probably not much fun anymore ; just someone to cook his meals and wash his underwear , and that was fine , you go on , johnny , go on and hunt up your scoop , i 'll just call megan on the telephone , maybe in a week or two your cousin alfie will bring her down here to see me , alfie 's so good to his mother , et cetera , et cetera , ibid. , ibid. , ad infinitum , ad infinitum .