It is not without melancholy that I wander among my recollections of the world of letters in London when first, bashful but eager, I was introduced to it.
Likewise, UMNO hardliners might argue that what is needed now is to bolster support among its Malay core by replacing Mr Najib with a less bashful Malay supremacist.
It could be a bashful little smile, showing that they are nervous but happy to see you, or a wide ear-to-ear grin that conveys their excitement about being around you.