It was not money they lacked, but solidity. They were no longer associated with a particular house, a friend or a job. They acted out the role, but it was no longer real. No-one needed them, no-one was planning to ask for their help. It is actually a wonderful thing to receive a telegram which jostles you awake, gets you up in the middle of the night, and nudges you out to the train station: “Hurry! I need your help!” We soon discover which friends will come to our aid. It takes much longer to win friends who will ask for your help.
