Umbrella

Rain caught him outdoors yesterday without an umbrella, but Lou Lekus of Tredyffrin didn't mind. He was casting for trout in Valley Forge National Historical Park. Interludes of rain are predicted for today.

When two ribs of my favorite umbrella bent, I remembered there had been a little tag on it that read "lifetime warranty. " Even better, for once in my life I knew where to find the guarantee. I hadn't actually read the small print, but I hadn't read my car warranty either and every time I had a problem, the dealer fixed it. So I took the umbrella back to the store, thinking they'd replace it. I should have remembered that, unlike people, not all guarantees are created equal. While an umbrella isn't a major investment like a car, I buy a lot more umbrellas than I do cars.