The three most beautiful words in English, French said, are not "I love you" but "to be continued." His talk was an argument for the power of the of the slowly unfolding story -- the wait, the suspense (though I don't think he ever used the word cliffhanger). The world in general, and the newsroom in particular, are like his father -- let's get to the point, cut to the chase, what's the bottom line? But the faster life gets, French said, the more powerful it is when a writer or director makes you wait to see what happens next. Tom Lenehan. "What Happens Next? Tom French on the Power of Unfolding Narrative." Poynter Online, Report on the Nieman Narrative Journalism Conference, December 1, 2001, http://legacy.poynter.org/nww/nieman/french.htm