Regrets

Regarding “The Tigers of Regret,” Commentary, Jan. 1: Jenijoy La Belle wrote that she had yet to meet anyone with no regrets, bringing to mind an interview I conducted while a wire service reporter in the summer of 1984.

I was attempting to interview the venerable John Houseman, who was directing a Shakespeare play at San Diego’s Old Globe Theater. It wasn’t going well. There was a stultifying lack of chemistry between us. To any polite question I put forth, he would respond with a monosyllable. Finally, in desperation and with the knowledge that I didn’t have any good quotes to cobble together a feature story by deadline, I produced a journalist’s standard question. “Do you have any regrets at this stage of your life?” He responded, “No.”

Weary, worried and nearly beaten, I prostrated myself at that point. “Everyone has regrets,” I lamented out loud, “I have many, many regrets.” He then gave me a thoughtful, appraising glance--mostly from the vantage point of looking down his nose. “My dear girl,” he finally said in a crisp, resonant voice, “in 40 years you will have forgotten them all.” I’m really looking forward to that time.

KRISTINA REBELO

San Diego