Introduction

I’m famous for assuming I can always find a shortcut. If I’m driving down the highway and hit construction, I’ll take the first off ramp, determined to find a quick way around the delay. Exiting the highway requires that I ignore the protests of my wife, who thinks it would just be easier to slow down and follow the orange cones.

Well, my wife is usually right. I pull off and take a side road that suddenly veers even further off course. I don’t mind. I grew up in the ...