Who doesn’t tell one every once in a while? Call them social lubricants; easing us through early morning meetings,  dead end conversations with withdrawn spouses and the uncomfortable brushings of body parts on subway trains with bad climate control.

The most blatant one might very well be: I’m doing really well. Summer, winter, rain or shine; we all use this simple little line so it doesn’t all fall apart. It keeps our shoulders straight, our morale high and our smiles and eyes wide as we save our real emotions for TV.

* no guarantees