E is for excellent but when I think of the word, I don't think of the perfect wedding that ends as a lousy marriage. Or maybe, I do (in a punny way). Excellent, to me, is the expression used in horror stories where Dr. Frankenstein is complimented on his deviant brilliance ("Excellent, Doktor, excellent") by a hunch-backed assistant wringing his hands in perverse delight.
The reason for my assessment of such a special word is that excellence, like so much in our great nation, has moved from a promising beginning (an excellent idea or plan) to a profitable outcome (an excellent ROI, perhaps). As such, effort is expected but only excellence is rewarded. No wonder we hear nowadays how an excellent return on investment was accomplished by despicably horrible means.
Sitting in a pizza parlor years ago with my friend, Radar Ears, she overheard a conversation between a pharmaceutical rep and a physician that went something like this: "Doc, all you need to do is key in the patient's symptoms and our program on your computer will prescribe the drugs - at the end of the month, you'll receive a commission from us."
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Excellent, Doktor, excellent.
