I had an important professional matter to discuss with a senior surgeon who specialises in cancer care. The discussion lasted for about five minutes, after which I left the room. Being a physician myself, I was grateful that the busy surgeon was kind enough to answer the question that had kept me preoccupied. Only later did it occur to me that the surgeon was performing a rectal examination on a patient while talking to me. It did not bother the surgeon, nor did it bother me. My presence did not seem to bother the patient either. Or did it?