@PJVogt Related And Barely Interesting Story:

Back in college in Arizona in the 90s, I used to listen to AM talk radio late at night. Browsing around the dial waiting for Art Bell to start one day, I faintly tuned in a call-in show from California: “Ask Mr. KFI”. There was no

screener and no topics. When people would call, they often asked “How are you?” and Mr. KFI replied, “Better than most, not as good as some.” I thought that was the perfect response. Over the next several years I occasionally made it my go-to answer. Years later, I was working on

the twelfth floor of a building in midtown Manhattan. As I walked into the building one day, the guard asked, "How you doing?" and I said, "Better than most, not as good as some" as I headed to the elevator. Stepping in, I thought, I'm kinda tired of that answer. I've been using

it too much lately. I need a new go-to answer for that question. I know, I thought. I'm going to go with "Fair to middlin'." That's a good old fashioned tried-and-true answer. Nobody says "Fair to middlin'" anymore. I can't wait to use it. That will be my new thing. The elevator

was going up and stopped on the fourth floor. This was my chance! Of course whoever gets on will ask me how I'm doing, and I can say "Fair to middlin'"! But the doors opened and some woman I didn't know came on. She didn't acknowledge me. Oh, well. I guess that wasn't my chance

after all. The woman and I rode together. The elevator stopped again, this time on the seventh floor. Maybe now was my chance! I waited for the elevator doors to open. When they did, they revealed another stranger. Some guy I'd never seen before. He didn't acknowledge me, either.

But he turned to the woman in the elevator and said, "Hey, Karen. How you doin'?"

And Karen replied: "Fair to middlin'."

Fin.