Artists were allowed to do that - to look, to gaze at others and try to find out what it was that they were feeling - but we, who were not artists, were not. If one looked too hard that would be considered voyeurism, or nosienss, which is what Cat, her neice, had accused her of more than once. Jamie - the boyfriend rejected by Cat but kept on by Isabel as a friend - had done the same althought more tactfully. He had said that she needed to draw a line in the world with me written on one side and you on the other. Me would be her business; you would be the business of others, and an invitation would be required to cross the line.
She had said to Jamie: "Not a good idea, Jamie. What if people on the other side of the line are in trouble?"
That's different," he said. "You help them."
By streching a hand across this line of yours?"
Of course. Helping people is different."
She had said: "But then we have to know what they need, don't we? We have to be aware of others. If we went about concerned with only our own little world, how would we know when there was trouble brewing on the other side of the line?
She had said to Jamie: "Not a good idea, Jamie. What if people on the other side of the line are in trouble?"
That's different," he said. "You help them."
By streching a hand across this line of yours?"
Of course. Helping people is different."
She had said: "But then we have to know what they need, don't we? We have to be aware of others. If we went about concerned with only our own little world, how would we know when there was trouble brewing on the other side of the line?
( Alexander McCall Smith )
[ The Right Attitude to Rain ]
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