These are two words that didn’t show up yesterday in my one-syllable journey.  They too are fine examples of simplicity and directness.

I love it when someone asks a question and the response is simply “Yes”.  No elaboration, no fanciful descriptions.  No “but” or “mostly” at the end.  No “Today it’s that way.  Not sure about tomorrow”.

A lovely example from my current life:

Are you at home in Gent?

Yes

My mind doesn’t feel involved in the response.  All of me speaks.

The same for “No”.  I read an interview with Ben O’Connor, an Australian cyclist who finished second in the recent Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a three-week race.

“There was never a moment when I completely exploded. But Primoz was a deserving winner and he deserves to win this Vuelta a España.“

O’Connor may be looking to fight for a Grand Tour victory in the future but he remains with his feet on the ground. Asked if he thought he could ever beat Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard or indeed Roglič, he answered simply – “No”.

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Well said, Ben … and Bruce