One of the first lessons life teaches us is that on these occasions of back-chat between the delicately-natured, a man should retire into the offing, curl up in a ball, and imitate the prudent tactics of the opossum, which, when danger is in the air, pretends to be dead, frequently going to the length of hanging out crêpe and instructing its friends to gather round and say what a pity it all is.
In the context of social interactions, particularly when faced with conflict or back-chat, it is often wiser for a man to retreat into the background rather than engage directly. This approach mirrors the behavior of an opossum, which, when threatened, plays dead to avoid confrontation. The idea suggests that sometimes in life, stepping back and allowing the situation to unfold without direct involvement can be the most prudent strategy.
Wodehouse humorously points out that, like the opossum that even goes as far as staging a scene of mourning, people might wish to feign disinterest or withdrawal during tense moments. It highlights the complexities of human nature and the comedic yet effective ways one might choose to navigate tricky social dynamics while preserving one's peace.
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