Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Well, they’re over. The debates, I mean. They reminded me of homework that we all had to do to be ready for the big exam on November 2.

I was at an Oktoberfest event last night, and almost everyone I talked with was going home to watch some part of the debate, after filling their stomachs with bratwurst and sauerkraut. Oops . . . this menu probably wouldn’t pass White House muster these days.

Earl and I came home too and watched the debate under the same house rules as we watched the other two. No talking, no emoting, no raised eyebrows or funny expressions. Truth be told, in an unguarded moment, I broke the rule with a snide comment about George’s not answering a particular question. Lowering his crossword puzzle, Earl glared at me. “You can have a free shot,” I said.

My overriding impression of the debate can be summed this way: 1. Both men wore the same color tie. At least it appeared that way on our TV. 2. If you practice something long enough, you can improve. You may even get good at it. And J and G certainly improved their rhetorical skills. 3. Both men tossed facts in the air like jugglers in the circus. 4. The man who won the debate was Earl, for never taking a free shot.