A piece of news

I am back on the ward. Harold approaches.
A little wisp of a man with glasses and a permanently runny nose, he was a computer programmer before he came in here. He goes around the ward, talking to himself in machine-code.
But today he has shifted into a high-level language for my benefit. ‘You been to see Amanda then?’
‘How did you know that?’ I respon, surprised and not a little bit irritated.
‘Not much goes on round here that I don’t know about’. His voice has a metallic hiss, like it might be coming from one of his computer speakers.
‘She’s Freddie’s sister – did you know that?’
I didn’t know. And I am astonished at this piece of news.
‘Bit unusual, eh: brother and sister running a private psychiatric clinic. Neither of ‘em married – know what I mean, eh?’
Before I can think of a reply he is off down the ward, whistling binary.