Not OUI kind of influence, though I do wonder why “Driving under the influence” has suddenly become “Operating under the influence.” Is there some problem with surgeons I’ve not heard about? But I digress.

Yesterday, I was talking with the always-enjoyable Julienne Givot and the subject of influence came up. I enjoy our conversations because we share the same quirky sense of the absurd and love to figure out how and why things happen the way th...