A Man of Few Words
Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth President of the United, was as well known for being friendly to the people as he was for being remote. That he was friendly could be seen almost every afternoon during his term of office. Just after noon a long line of people would file through his office to shake his hand. He said that he once shook hands with nineteen hundred people in thirty-four minutes.
That he was remote could be seen by his frugality with words. When asked why he often sat silently while people talked, he said "Many times I say only 'yes' or 'no' to people. Even that is too much. It winds them up for twenty minutes more." And the story of the young woman who sat next to Coolidge at a dinner party is typical. She turned to him and said she had made a bet with a friend that she could get at lest three words of conversation out of him . He did not even look at her as he delivered his witty reply: "You lose.