(I am always amused by the throwaway line "It's the least I can do!" You know how it goes. "I'll say a prayer for you - it's the least I can do!" "Here's a small donation - it's the least I can do!" I'll cook a meal for you - it's the least I can do!" I wonder does anybody actually stop and think about what they are really saying? Sometimes I feel like asking "Do you always do the least you can - or is this a special case?"
But, of course, it is a cliché and nobody takes a cliché literally - or seriously - because nobody really means what a cliché actually says. After all a cliché is what you say when you don't really want to say anything. Unfortunately some people tend to use clichés a lot.
But what if one day you met - an honest man?)

I met an honest man today
And told him of my woe.
"You have to let it go," he said
"For your trouble overwhelms me so".

"You have to move on and be thankful,
For your sorrow I cannot bear.
For me you must smile and be happy,
For your burden I choose not to share."

So we laughed the hollow laugh and we smiled,
And talked the small talk for a bit.
But at least he was one who was honest,
Though it still aided my plight not a whit.

D.J. Ludlow Copyright 2000