Airport departure lounges seem always to have an odd selection of shops. They seem overwhelmingly directed towards women and specialise in things that people do not need. A delayed flight meant wandering around the shops, browsing to pass the time. Mindful of having a clerical collar, even passing the front of the Victoria’s Secret store was something to be avoided; in a dark suit and black overcoat, it would have felt too much like a scene from Father Ted.

WH Smith offered safe haven for ten minutes, the fiction shelves …