In Manhattan, when you're out of the front door, you're on, and you have to be ready to smile and speak to people.

Flowers are words even a baby can understand.

When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, 'Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don't believe?'

Though intelligence is powerless to modify character, it is a dab hand at finding euphemisms for its weaknesses.

Of course I lie to people. But I lie altruistically - for our mutual good. The lie is the basic building block of good manners. That may seem mildly shocking to a moralist - but then what isn't?

This woman did not fly to extremes; she lived there.

I take it to be axiomatic that people are revolted by witnessing the shameless gratification of an appetite they do not share.