Beginning in 2005, I spent 10 years as reader representative (ombudsman) for this news organization. The job entailed fielding phone calls and emails from readers who had complaints, questions or suggestions, hearing them out, relaying their concerns at our daily news meetings, and then wrapping up what I considered the most compelling issue of the week into a regular Sunday column.

It was a rewarding, fulfilling assignment. I dealt with thousands of readers over the decade, and was enriched by the experience. But in all that time, there was one response that I never quite succeeded in understanding.

That was when someone would angrily call or write, telling me they were canceling the paper – not because they were getting poor service or they were moving or they couldn’t afford it, but b

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