Wednesday, November 22, 2006
L'esprit de l'escalier
Okay, here's what we're going to do: Pretend that you never saw anything about posting every day, because I LIE. I lie to you, Internets. Don't give me any lip about it. I see nobody posted any comments, so that's good. Let's just pretend.
Here is a story, nonetheless. Do you know l'esprit de l'escalier? It is when just the right thing to say comes to you too late, as you're leaving, usually on the stairs. I had a visit from l'esprit last night. Mark, the news editor, had asked me to take five minutes before I left and come up with a good headline for the feel-good holiday story about a local company that slaughters turkeys (oh, you should have seen the photos we didn't run). I thought for five minutes, but only came up with "Before you gobble 'em ..." which was okay but not brilliant. I told Mark it was the best I could do, and headed out. As I was literally on the stairs, it came to me. I ran back up, into the newsroom, and shouted "Mark!" He jumped (I am startling, like a ninja) and said "Wha?!" "TRUE TALES OF THE TURKEY TRADE," I said. He threw both arms in the air and cheered, and I went on my way. And you know? You better believe it's the lead story on the front page today.
Here is a story, nonetheless. Do you know l'esprit de l'escalier? It is when just the right thing to say comes to you too late, as you're leaving, usually on the stairs. I had a visit from l'esprit last night. Mark, the news editor, had asked me to take five minutes before I left and come up with a good headline for the feel-good holiday story about a local company that slaughters turkeys (oh, you should have seen the photos we didn't run). I thought for five minutes, but only came up with "Before you gobble 'em ..." which was okay but not brilliant. I told Mark it was the best I could do, and headed out. As I was literally on the stairs, it came to me. I ran back up, into the newsroom, and shouted "Mark!" He jumped (I am startling, like a ninja) and said "Wha?!" "TRUE TALES OF THE TURKEY TRADE," I said. He threw both arms in the air and cheered, and I went on my way. And you know? You better believe it's the lead story on the front page today.
