I remember one of my father's favorite jokes. He would tell the story as if it actually happened. Maybe it did.

"My friend," my father said, "told me that his multi-million-dollar purchase had fallen through. I asked him why." My father would pause for effect and then conclude with the words of his friend. "The bastards wanted one thousand dollars down."

So by wimpy economy I do not mean a weak economy. I mean the character from the Popeye cartoon—Wimpy.

His signature line was always,"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

It is Tuesday.