A few days ago I read over for a final time a piece that an editor had requested. I had a nagging feeling that something was missing in the lead. I thought about it for a few minutes and then a light went on. I typed in a parenthetical remark consisting of three words. Two of them – they were connected by an ‘and’ – immediately became my favorite words of the piece, two of the best words I’ve written all year. Not just because of their appropriateness but their symmetry. The delight I got from coming up with them has lasted (clearly) through the week.
