It's in Macbeth: "The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon." I seldom have occasion to pull it out, but it's ready and waiting!

Debt is part of the human condition. Civilization is based on exchanges - on gifts, trades, loans - and the revenges and insults that come when they are not paid back.

We thought we had such problems. How were we to know we were happy?

'1984' is not a wonder tale. Not only could it happen, but it has happened, but under different names.

But some people can't tell where it hurts. They can't calm down. They can't ever stop howling.

You don't look back along time but down through it, like water. Sometimes this comes to the surface, sometimes that, sometimes nothing. Nothing goes away.

And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. I want all my hurts to be intentional.