This is a historic moment, the first minister said.
No, no, said Ruth. It is more than that – it is seismic.
No, no, no, said Kezia – it is unprecedented.
And so it went on. The ante being upped and upped until the stakes were so high that no one wanted to play anymore.
And, just like that, everyone got up for eight weeks holiday.
The future of Scotland in the EU is, of course, a complex, convoluted and confused issue. These are very much uncharted waters.
If MSPs expected strong answers from the first minister after her visit to Brussels, they were disappointed.
Looking rather hipster-ish in a buttoned up blouse, Nicola Sturgeon was passionate in her defence of the EU and Scotland’s interests, but again exposed on the actual policy.
Rebuffed by Brussels, at least for now, there was a growing sense in the chamber that independence might be the only option to save – or at least try to save – Scotland’s membership of the EU.
That, inevitably, was Ruth Davidson’s fear. The Tory leader went in hard on the importance of the UK single market, drawing applause from her benches and scorn – sometimes childish – from the government.
The deputy first minister, wiggling his shoulders up and down, goaded Ms Davidson with sarcastic chants of “very clever”.
Yet again, though, it was Kezia Dugdale’s show. The Scottish Labour leader has found her mojo after the referendum result, haranguing the Tories and asking the most probing questions of the first minister.
With her party in turmoil down south, she has nevertheless kept the coolest of many hot heads in the last week.
It is unusual too for Holyrood to see the SNP and Labour standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder, leaving the Tories, on this issue at least, appearing somewhat isolated and alone.
The truth is though, with the stakes so high, all bets are now off. No one knows what will happen, but there are now eight weeks to cool off and find out.