gazing through the looking glass;

That's why they should have said "Oi, you calling me a slut?" which is what most nurses that I work with would have said. I do think there is that cultural thing, he wouldn't have cared if they reacted that way. British people tend to banter and insult each other back and forth. It's like James Marsters was saying how he kept getting worried with GDL and his friends and thinking "can you really say that?" as they insulted each other. I get that it is odd, and it is a game as well, so if someone gets geniunely insulted, then all kinds of backtracking does go on.