I’ve always thought that the hardest thing to write is an introduction, or in my vernacular, a first paragraph.  I ought to take lessons from Chris Ayres of the London Times, who recently wrote an article that opened with this:

“WHEN A BULL whale comes at you with an erect
penis, it’s nine feet long,” said Gregory Colbert, aiming a fork at his
Caesar salad. “It’s like a torpedo. And you’d better get out of the
way, fast.”

Just grabs you doesn’t it?