Question: Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the way they world is headed?

Calvin Trillin: I’m pessimistic about whether the plumber is gonna come; but optimistic, I think, in general. I’m not sure it has to do about the world, though. I think it has to do with things are gonna probably be okay . . . but it’s sort of personal. It has to do with my family and things, not to . . . not . . . I don’t really think usually in terms of the whole world. They’ll have to worry about themselves.