People in France have a phrase: “Spirit of the Stairway.” In French: Esprit d’Escalier. It means that moment when you find the answer but it’s too late. Say you’re at a party and someone insults you. You have to say something. So, under pressure, with everybody watching, you say something lame. But the moment you leave the party. . . As you start down the stairway, then—magic.
You come up with the perfect thing you should’ve said. The perfect crippling put-down. That’s the Spirit of the Stairway.