There was a story doing the rounds on social media during the recent spell of hot weather.

It concerned a young lad who was out walking in the countryside with his mates when he began to feel ill. Suspecting it was dehydration from the heat, he called to a house to ask for a drink of water.

The story goes that the person who answered the door took one look at him and promptly closed the door again, leaving him high and dry.

The young lad walked away and related the story to his mother when he got home and she posted it online.

I don’t know anything about the occupant of the house, whether they were male or female, young or old, but they were on the receiving end of some criticism for not giving the lad a drink.

Some said the householder did the right thing by closing the door, while others took a more critical view.

Refusing a simple request for a drop of water might seem odd, but it’s understandable given the times we live in.

People who grew up in an era like I did will remember when front doors were regularly left open. Not just unlocked but actually left wide open. I know ours was open all day. My mother opened it first thing in the morning and left it that way for the day unless the weather turned nasty. Most of the neighbours did the same.

Even when the door was closed, the key was left in it. It........

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