Father Mulcahy is cheerfully reading the front page of a newspaper (today's date back home; sometimes, Milliways is, well, a Godsend) as he approaches the stairs. This is his downfall.

He's about four steps from the stop when he realizes that there are people blocking his path. The first thing that he registers, as he lowers the newspaper, is that it's a kissing duo.

"Oh, excuse m--" he says, awkward and a little amused, prepared to squeeze past them if necessary, except then it registers that he knows the pair.

He comes up short. "Oh-- oh! Pardon me!"

The amount of awkward in the air has suddenly become thick enough to cut with a knife, which may be evidenced by the good father's flaily hands.