I think my examples gave a pretty good idea of what I thought the term "interested parties" meant, and obviously it does not mean any old busy body.
If you let your friend off the hook, that is fine, but it is generally considered rude to arrive markedly late, and therefore doubly rude not to apologize or explain. Why is it rude? Because you should make every effort not to keep people waiting, which is an imposition on their time. Thus, you want to say you are sorry or that despite your best efforts, you were thwarted.
Where did the idea come from that you owe people apologies and explanations? Well, from the notion of considerateness. A courteous person takes into account the effect of her action on others. When the matter is more substantial, it is not a matter of courtesy, but of responsibility, since there are certain persons who are markedly affected by our behavior, such as children, spouses, and close friends, who might be terribly let down by us....... |
