As interested Shambles in the last explanation I gave you ?

Yes - I was very interested in reading that. Just because I may not be seen to agree with you does not mean that I am not interested in reading them.

My experience has been that I have liked many freemason that I have known and have always wondered why such people would wish to become freemasons. As I have usually liked them before I knew they were freemasons and knowing this - has made little real difference to our relationship.

If there were me and a fellow freemason in equal distress but they could signal theirs - I may find out that as a non-freemason I would be second choice for my friend's assistance - but that senario has
yet to be tested.

The aspect of the distress signal and its use in the circumstances earlier described - is perhaps a crucial one in answering my main question.