I just learned the homeless shelters in Asheville had “enacted Code Purple.” I didn’t know if it meant gay people were now welcome or if people were turning purple from the cold. Meanwhile, the airports were under an Orange Alert, and the city was advertising Code Red. I don’t know what color the air was.

What does government do for people who find themselves suddenly not knowing our colors? Aren’t poor cryptographic skills on a par with being special needs in math? (I’m trying to speak as a government agent.) May I have a decoder ring or at least a book?