Foresight--the gift of composure

Yesterday I was in a professional office waiting room. A woman came in and exchanged a few words with the receptionist, then she said, "I didn't know what to expect".

That hit me in the gut. Most of us would never say it aloud, at least not those with insecurities, anxieties, or parents with alcoholism.

That's it, I thought, (after a few twists and turns) that is why the reader wants a real introduction. They don't want to be caught off-guard by an awkward development.
They want to be prepared for what is coming.