Holiday season Quote by Robert Newman
““Do you think you’ll be able to take care of what he wanted to see you about?” asked Andrew. “As always, I intend to do my best.” “All right,” said Sara. “We give up. So you don’t intend to tell us what the commissioner wanted or about the case you’re on. What did you want to see us about?” “It’s the holiday season. Andrew has just come back to London after several months away at school, and I haven’t seen you since he was last here. Isn’t that enough reason to want to see the two of you?” “To send me a telegram making an appointment for my first day home?” said Andrew. “The answer is no.” “Why do you think I wanted to see you?” “I don’t mind guessing when it serves some useful purpose. But since you’re bound to tell us sooner or later, I’ll just wait until you do.” “You get more difficult every time I see you,” said Wyatt. “You say that every time we see you ,” said Sara. “And then you give us that look.” “What look is that?” “The one that asks, ‘Can I trust them to do what I want and keep quiet about it?’ And the ridiculous part of it is that you must have decided that you could trust us or you never would have sent Andrew that telegram.” “True. All right, I’ll tell you.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Unseen Plot, Robert Newman, 2023
Characters negotiate trust and motives, revealing hidden agendas and the difficulty of honest communication in tense situations.
In simple terms: People hide true intentions, making trust hard.
Clarify motives early to build trust.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- family reunion
- business negotiations
- legal investigations
- friendship conflicts
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions are you making about others' motives?
- How can you verify intent without breaching privacy?
Trust can be eroded by suspicion, even when intentions are benign.