IABDITN: Play at the Plate

p33 Fred notices the ring on Lloyd's finger.

He looks for something that's important to the person he's with. Then asks about it. How long? - Fred offers a compliment. Her name? - Fred shows he would like to know more about these things that are important to Lloyd.

[...]

35 LLOYD There's you, Fred, and there's the character you play, Mister Rogers.

Fred narrows his eyes, studying Lloyd, really taking him in.

FRED You said it was a play at the plate. That's what happened to you?

Put in a corner by this man to explain or justify himself, Fred becomes more curious about this man - who has just shown that what's important to him is keeping up appearances. Now Fred is curious about what appearances Lloyd is keeping up.

LLOYD I got into a fight.

FRED Oh my. Who did you get into a fight with?

LLOYD It's not important.

Lloyd chuckles. Fred doesn't.

LLOYD (CONT'D)Jerry

FRED And who is Jerry?

LLOYD My father.

FRED Oh my.

LLOYD I'd rather not talk about it.

FRED What were you and your father fighting about?

Who was involved in the incident, what is your relationship with that person, THEN what was it about.

And never the question of the idly curious, "what happened?".

Fred is more interested in people and their relationships - to objects, to other people - than he is about things, or bare facts about people.