In a 2004 Reader’s Digest William S. Smith tells us of his father, a lawyer, famous  and  successful defender of the accused. His performance in court must have been amazing. Once, Smith says, his dad defended a man charged with stealing a horse. When the jury had finished its deliberations the foreman rose and said, “We find the man who stole the horse not guilty.”

So I’m sitting there, calm, quiet, at peace with the world, when Esther says, “I’m thinking of buying a bookcase I saw at Jysk”.

Nazi concentration camp, Poland, 1941. 600 men stand before the camp commander, a Nazi officer, who chooses 10 of them to die: “You…you…you…”. This in retaliation for one of their comrades having escaped the day before.

Paddy staggers home late one night having been out drinking with the lads. As he falls through the doorway, his wife angrily snaps at him, “What’s the big idea coming home half drunk again?” Paddy replies, “I’m sorry dear about being half drunk, but I ran out of money.”

Those of you old enough , like me, to have come over with Columbus, will member some things that have changed too much to recognize. Like children’s stories.