One day a tall middle-aged man pushed his way through the Christmas crowd and asked a clerk for a compass. She led him to the counter displaying mechanical drawing sets and laid out several instruments.
“Oh, I don’t want one that draws circles,” the customer protested. “I want a compass that gives directions.”
“Sorry,” came the reply, “we don’t carry the kind with pointers.”
No straight lines—only circles! That is the story of some lives, is it not? And more seem to be joining the club every day.