It is better to have loafed and lost, than never to have loafed at all.
It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.
One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.
Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.
There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.
Some might think the connection between Thurber and jazz to be obscure or non-existent. However, your piece caused me to recall an incident in about 1962, when I was in a ‘green room’ at some jazz club with John Dankworth as he opened his saxophone case to get out his alto for the night’s work. I spotted in the sax case, a copy of ‘A Thurber Carnival’, which he had been reading.
Questioned why, he said “It’s a lot of fun – could make a good album!’
(as far as I know the idea got no further)
Don Elliot put the band together for the Brodaway production of A Thurber Carnival. Jimmy Raney was in that group, and was a great Thurber fan. He told me Thurber was delighted with the production, and spent a lot of time in the theater during the run. Jimmy enjoyed chatting with him. He also enjoyed Paul Ford, who turned in a wonderful performance as one of Thurber’s characters.