How do you get a chatty friend to shut up? I think I have found the answer | Adrian Chiles

What's better than a companion who knows just what to say? A companion who knows when to zip it. But sometimes they need a little nudge ...

I like a chat as much as the next chap, but a bit of quiet is nice, too. It's a difficult balance to strike. While the main thing you want with a friend is plenty to talk about, being able to coexist in companionable silence is also important. It's a lot to ask of someone, to be charmed and charming, interesting and interested, yet with the insight to sense when it's time to pipe down.

It's not that I have anyone I would call a friend who bores me; if anything, the opposite is true. But that presents its own challenges. If the subject matter is interesting, it requires attention. And if there is too much of it, that gets tiring.