Regular Dances 17. Regular Dances In the mind of Allie Parsons, such as it was, what was said had no importance. Thus she might babble sentimentally of friendship to Stephanie and the other wives of Westwick regardless of the fact that she did not consider them to be her friends. Her concept of friendship did not extend to people who were merely useful, only to those who were actually powerful. Most of her conversation included such adjustments of meaning. Obviously, the purpose of talking was to get what you wanted. What you actually said was irrelevant, the result was what counted. Obviously, therefore, it was right to say whatever was necessary for people to give you what you wanted, regardless of whether what you said would pass any kind of reality check. Allie considered that she had been right to invite the Sands to buy their doomed house in New Farm Rise because Ted was going to cut Stewart in on the Oak Hill deal and make them very rich, definitely rich enough to join them in Maple Grove.
