In Our Own Time
Another Excerpt

"Why can't you be more understanding?" Kellie was yelling in whispers and trying to ignore Andrew. She cleared, set, and re-cleared all the tables that were sufficiently distant from any customers.

David watched the pattern of a familiar argument unfold. This time he was determined to intervene with what he considered final and conclusive answers; he stepped forward in assistance.

"You keep out of it!"

David figured she'd appreciate his input once she heard what he had to say. "There simply isn't any such thing as somebody who is 'more understanding'". David used his fingers to place the phrase in quotes, though it was hardly appropriate. "There are people who understand more, and there are frauds. You can't be more understanding unless you actually understand more."

"Michael is more understanding." Kellie clearly wasn't, thought David, as he continued.

"I think you'll find Michael is just as bewildered as Andrew is. His special 'understanding' lies in knowing what you want and giving it to you regardless of his level of comprehension."

"Yes! That's exactly right. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with it is that it's fraudulent. It neglects that fact that people are more than just their relationships with other people. They have this intrinsic measure of how much they actually understand � and surely this should be the primary factor in determining how understanding they appear to be."

"Well - intrinsically - understands Michael understand more."

"I doubt it. I'd suggest you ask him to explain."

Apparently, Kellie played that scenario through in her head. She retorted, "It doesn't make any difference!", with the implication that Michael's attempts at explanation probably wouldn't assist her argument.

"Maybe that's the problem. Maybe to you there is no difference. Maybe it doesn't matter to you how somebody actually feels about you, as long as you get..."

"Maybe you're afraid to show how you feel. Maybe you're afraid to actually do anything! You're all talk you know!"

Andrew was silent; but he was obviously keen to resume what he considered his argument. David, rather conveniently, finally chose to return Andrew his baton; there was a sudden desire to spend some time in the basement at the library.