You can, yes, but others aren't going to tolerate it. [And others might not be brave enough to stand up against it, which might just lead to yet others deciding to not tolerate it on behalf of those people instead. It's an ugly little cycle, the way she's thinking of it.

Maria nods a little in agreement with his assessment.] Not quite, but close enough. This is where we all live, but answering prayers or doing just about anything that isn't part of our line of work happens on the Near Shore. I own a dance studio there, for example.

[Owning businesses is rare, admittedly, but Maria knows she isn't the only one from people advertising on the BBS.]