Two automechanics sat next to me in Dunkin’ Donuts this morning. One of them talked most of the time. Whenever the other automechanic said something, he would interrupt him impatiently: “Anyway, to make a long story short…” He used the same expression at least three times in ten minutes. As I was walking out, feeling rather annoyed for some reason, I decided to abandon this expression altogether.

Addendum (May 27, 2016)

Having stumbled upon this piece on one of my haphazard journeys through my writings, I immediately decided to check my writings on the World Wide Web for the annoying expression in question. To my disappointment, I used it thrice in the last thirty years. The first time was only three years after this piece was penned (“My Fellow Travelers,” June 6, 1989). Shucks! The second two times it was two years ago, but I was quoting from a book the second time around, which does not really count (“Small, Medium, and Large Jew’s Harps,” April 29, 2014; and “The Bird that Tried to Advise a Monkey,” October 18, 2014). Although I am a bit cross with myself for breaking my promise at all, my transgressions are far from many. Phew! Never again, though!