The word "right" for a coincidence that is bad

[Benjamin Barrett]

Nice (and I don't have to find the quote)!

It will be interesting to see if a set phrase or word comes out of this.

Benjamin Barrett
Seattle, WA

On Jan 12, 2013, at 4:39 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>
> There is an idiom "in the wrong place at the wrong time" that seems to
> refer to a negative coincidence. Here is link to a web page at The
> Free Dictionary:
>
> http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in+the+wrong+place+at+the+wrong+time
>
> Here is an instance of a person "in the wrong place, at the wrong time":
>
> [ref] 1918, Soldiers of the Legion: Trench Etched by Legionnaire Bowe
> by John Bowe and Charles L. MacGregor, Quote Page 142, Press of
> Peterson Linotyping Co., Chicago, Illinois. (Google Books full view)
> [/ref]
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Another shell drops, - a man stood there, - he goes up, - he was in
> the wrong place, at the wrong time, - and out of luck. Why worry?
> There are too many shells, and the one that gets you is the one you
> will never see.
> [End excerpt]
>
> There are earlier instances, but this one seemed particularly vivid.
>
> Garson
>
> On Sat, Jan 12, 2013 at 6:21 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>>
>> When discussing the "right" conditions for a coincidence to occur, there is a tendency to correct the word "right" if the coincidence is not favorable, but AFAIK, nobody just says "in the wrong conditions," because that would be misleading.
>>
>> I can't imagine trying to search for this, so perhaps it has been discussed and FWIW.
>>
>> I have a quote from Humphrey Carter, I believe, from the "Making of" Blue-Rays of the "Lord of the Rings." It's in the Fellowship set and I can find the exact position if anyone is interested. The quote:
>>
>> -----
>> And in fact, under the right circumstances--I should say, the wrong circumstances--it will be you.
>> -----
>>
>> He's discussing that in the story, anyone could be tempted by the Ring.

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