Frank and Christine have a conversation at the bar, where she wants to know why he recognized Lucy. He parries with questions about where she goes on Sundays, and she backs off. “I see your point,” she tells him. “Friends can still have secrets.” (pp 75-77). What did you think of this exchange? What are your thoughts about secrets shared with friends?
Friends can share secrets or not. It must be done mutually and with respect. I think this scene was Lucy’s way of protecting her secrets while giving Frank a pass on sharing his. It was mutual respect to keep some things private. She was not willing to reveal her own truths and realized that meant he didn’t have to either. But, in the story sense, it reinforced acknowledgment of Lucy’s private and secretive life that could paint her as a killer.
I believe people can have secrets from their friends. It is up to each person what they want to share.
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Friends don’t have to share their secrets. Some secrets just need to be kept sometimes to insure the friendship endures. The secret could be simply a political preference that just needs to be kept personal. We have examples of that today in our world of democrat vs republican views within in families.
I agree. And, I think no matter how well we know each other there’s always something we don’t share. I don’t think it’s possible to ever know everything about another person.
There are “friends”, and there friends. We probably all have a lot of friends, but how many of those would you entrust with secrets, or things you’d prefer to keep confidential. It isn’t just the topic of the secret, it is the individual’s belief is who is trustworthy of the story. Sometimes it may even depend on the nature of the “secret’. A simple question about where one might have met someone else doesn’t seem to require an extensive revelation, but any answer could lead to more questions becoming a mind field. His response, however, immediately draws attention to the non-answer as suspicious; after all, these are mystery writers.
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I don’t think you have to tell your friends everything. What you share may depend on your personal needs for self disclosure.
I don’t feel the need to know all my friends’ secrets and I don’t feel the need to share all mine with them. Anyone who presses to know more about you than you want to share is not really the best choice for a friend, IMHO.
Lorraine, you said it well. Friendship means different things to different people.
I agree with those who say that friends can have secrets. It is great to share, but I feel that not everything always needs to be shared.
I think Gerrie is right, everyone has the right to choose to tell or not and a true friend would not pressure you to tell.
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It turns out Christine has a major secret.
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I agree with the majority of this group that friends can (and maybe should) have secrets from each other. Sometimes being too open can damage a friendship.
First you have to be sure that your friend can truly be trusted with your secrets Woe be unto him (or her) if secrets are shared and then not kept. Christine was wise to keep her own council!
Being in a friendship does not mean we allow our lives to become an open book. You may have wonderful friendships and yet keep things to yourself. I don’t believe that would harm a friendship.
I think it’s fine for friends to have secrets. Being friends doesn’t mean that you need to divulge everything about your life.
I liked this exchange: Christine learned that Frank had a right to his secret if she wanted to keep her own secret. Nicely written.