apprehension dialog

". . . because apprehension is a good thing and I'm all in favor of it. But it would be helpful if they were a little less apprehensive"
"less apprehensive?"
"yes, but not totally less apprehensive, just a little less"
"a little less"
"a hair's width less apprehensive. Less apprehensive, but not to the point of being perceptible. Apprehension is good. And being perceived as apprehensive is good. But if people would modify their actual apprehension to being less than total--"
"--while being perceived as total"
"--yes, that would be an improvement."