diff --git a/.local/bin/scripts/b b/.local/bin/scripts/b
index 292d302..f0cbf5b 100755
--- a/.local/bin/scripts/b
+++ b/.local/bin/scripts/b
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Show type & contents of given files or PWD
 
+set -eo pipefail
 # gets the last arg or current dir
 for last; do true; done
 last=${last:-.}
 
-tput setaf 4 && file "$last" | grep -v --color=never 'directory$'
-test -e "$last" || exit 1
+tput setaf 4 && $(test -r "$last" || echo "sudo") file -E "$last" | ( grep -v --color=never 'directory$' || true )
 
-case "$(file --dereference --mime "$last")" in
-  *inode/directory*) ls -l --color=always --human-readable --group-directories-first --file-type --dereference-command-line --all "$@";;
+elevate="$(test -r "$last" || echo "sudo")"
+case "$($elevate file --dereference --mime "$last")" in
+  *inode/directory*) tput sgr0 && $(test -x "$last" || echo "sudo") ls -l --color=always --human-readable --group-directories-first --file-type --dereference-command-line --all "$@";;
   *binary) ;;
-  *) $(test -f "$last" -a ! -r "$last" && echo "sudo") bat --style header "$@"
-     tput setaf 3 && stat --format '%A size %sB, birth: %.10w mod %.10y' "$last"
+  *) $elevate bat --style header "$@"
+     tput setaf 3 && $elevate stat --format '%A size %sB, birth: %.10w mod %.10y' "$last"
      ;;
 esac