"They're different. But they aren't totally different."

"If you don't tell someone something because you don't think they'll care that's different than if you don't tell someone something because you think they will care."

"If I tried to run for public office," says Sylvi, "in some city-states there would be a form to fill out that would ask if I've ever done that before. And I think I might have, because I had a dream about one of those previous incarnations, filling out exactly that form, although I don't remember if she actually ran or if she decided not to. But I can't tell them that. They'd think I was crazy. And they'd care a lot if I believe weird things that might mean I'm crazy; but I'd probably just write no."

"There's a difference between your personal business and the stuff you'll do as a politician though. And Mama says if telling the whole truth will make people only believe the part of the truth that's inconvenient for you then not telling isn't the same as not telling when people would believe everything."

"Fair enough."

"If a man says he wants to raise benefits for the unemployed and later he says he's slashing benefits so he can lower taxes and he won't give a straight answer why that's bad."

"Sure. But I wouldn't summarize the problem as 'lying', there."

"If he says he never said he wanted to raise benefits then that's lying, but I don't know a lot of real examples, I don't follow politics that much. That's mostly a grown-up thing."

"True. I haven't paid a lot of attention to it, but I think the past me's did."

"Mama cares a lot about politics and she rants about it sometimes. That's how I know."

"Makes sense."

"Yes." She nods sagely. "But I should probably go home soon. I don't want to forget to make a sign to put on my door."

"Sure. I hope it works for you."

"I hope so too! Thanks for suggesting it." She hops off the bar stool and heads out the door.