Jo wrote:

Hmm... I seem to remember an old episode of 'Ren & Stimpy' that developed on this theme...

Certainly there was a planet covered in single socks, anyway!

Ah, I thought he'd been reading obscure SF again. That was like a cross between Starlight Barking (Dodie Smith of the 101 dalmations fame) and RedRobe (J.C Grimwood, probably not famous). Funnily enough, though, I can actually see David, deadpan expression, complete with chauffeur's cap, driving a family of socks about on an alien surface. Anyway, my current efforts on fetch/sendmail show complete inability to press the ON button on the washing machine.