SAYINGS: Odessa, 1913 He loved repetition, more truthfully--to repeat himself: "If you can't figure out what's going on around here, here are some key adjectives to clarify the matter. "The first is 'so-called;' attach it to the name of all establishments and official bureaus. "The second is 'would-be;' attach it to the name of all incomplete endeavors. "The third is 'wrong;' attach it to all decisions reached or actions undertaken." Once, during a cardgame, a friend asked him if there existed any undertaking to which one could attach the word "right." He shook his head and, leading clubs, replied, "To speak precisely, one would have to say 'right, but too late.'" His lead didn't play out, but his losses were minor. © 1996 Boris Khersonsky. All rights reserved. Translation by Ruth Kreuzer and Dale Hobson