Life is often good. Even a cursory reading of the book was enough to convince me of my amateur status when it comes to cynicism and curmudgeonhood. . . . Judy Garland and others did kill themselves. Some of my friends died before they could kill themselves. One was murdered at point blank range with six bullets to his head.
Life's like that. . . .
A real curmudgeon would be wounded by unpleasant facts like these, and would have expressed them in a humorous manner. I don't have what it takes to be a curmudgeon or even an average cynic. I haven't had a suicide attempt or even a decent nervous breakdown. I'll never be truly hopeless, bitter, or caustic. No, I am not Phillis Diller, nor was meant to be.