danger: don't cross the line

At a private view at the Saatchi Gallery a man with a radio approached me "can you go round the other way please." We both looked down at the ground. "Because there's a wire?" "Yes" he said earnest and despairing at my stupidity (couldn't I see there was a wire there).

I contemplated crossing it anyway, but my Englishness gave in and I decided that this wasn't a battle I needed to fight.

Upstairs there was another wire. This one was okay. There was no guard and I crossed over it several times just to make sure.