This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Debra Treesman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear John Lancaster read his story, Signal,

from the April 3rd, 2017 issue of the magazine.

Lancaster is a journalist and fiction writer.

He's the author of four novels, including Fragrant Harbor and Capital.

Now here's John Lancaster.

Signal.

I tried to give the children an etiquette lesson

while we were waiting at King's Cross on December 30th.

You aren't allowed to ask for the Wi-Fi password

before you say hello, I said.

That's the main thing.

Uncle Mike won't care, said Toby, who was nine.

He's nice, said Mia, who was seven.

Both of those things are true, I said.

Uncle Mike is nice, and he wouldn't care,

but this is a life lesson. it's just not what you do you say hello you chat for a bit

and then you ask for the Wi-Fi password it's just one of the rules fear that's the other guy's problem, Toby said. We had recently

let him stay up too late to watch trading places, and this line had made a profound impact.

Michael wasn't my oldest friend, and he wasn't my closest friend, but he was older than any of the ones who

are closer and closer than any of the ones who were older, so he had a special status as part

...