Unbeknownst

Promise

12 Promise People do not like to be reminded of promises they have made. It puts them in the adult mode, having to disappoint a child with a truer reality. That was then, this is now. I will drop off the dry cleaning. I will be at the meeting on Thursday. I will pick up the children after school. I will bring it next time. I’ll remember. I will always love you. I will never leave you. Notice how with the promise there is so much in front of it. It can also represent a false report about something that has allegedly transpired. Your name is down for that. I took care of it. He never mentioned 13 that, I assure you. Believe me. Honest. I would never kid you on this. Absolutely. Perish the thought. Notice the use of wide words, taking so much in. And how hard it is to read them, or hear them —say, on the telephone— without at the same time seeing the hands, the presentation of the countenance and head, familiar as you are with exactly how they must be poised, exactly where they’re going next. ...