I participated in many vigils to protest the impending US invasion of Iraq.  At the end of one vigil, as people were drifting away, an acquaintance pressed a magazine into my hands.  “This has an excellent article you should read,” she said. I wondered at the gleam of mischief I detected in her eyes, but figured I’d find out what that was about when I read the article.

Just before I got to my car a young bearded man wearing a black bowler hat stopped me.  He wanted to know the name of the magazine I was carrying.  I thought his curiosity was a bit presumptuous, but didn’t see the harm in letting him see the magazine.  I hadn’t taken a real look at it yet myself.  So I showed him the cover of “The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.” 

He asked me what it was about.  I said I didn’t really know since I hadn’t read it yet.  That seemed to satisfy him, and he left.