Dear Wigleaf,

Imagine you're on the open ocean, on a rowboat without oars that's drifting away from another rowboat without oars, and that one carries someone who matters a lot to you. When you throw that person a line, it lands within arm's reach of their boat, but they don't grab it.

Which is the most likely reason someone wouldn't grab the rope?

>> They're worried about falling over the side and drowning.

>> They resent the gesture. They wanted to throw a line, not be the one to whom a line is thrown.

>> They're afraid you'll murder them and steal their boat.

>> They don't see the point. You have nothing to offer in the way of food or companionship.

>> They're starving and dehydrated, too exhausted to grab the rope.

>> They're hallucinating. The rope appears as a poisonous electric soul-sucking sea-monster.

>> They'd rather die alone.

If you knew the actual reason, what would you do? What could you do? Tell me what I'm missing. If you have the answer, please throw me a line. I'm writing from the middle of an ocean. They're drifting away. I don't want to die alone.

Andy Brown