This has been a problem for years. I quote — or even make reference to — Dickens’ line from Oliver Twist that the “law is a ass” and then I have to spend the next few days responding to email from people who think that I don’t have any clue about when or where to use “a” versus “an.” So let me just respond to the scores of people lecturing me in this regard. The line is “a ass.” And lest you think I’m picking on you, when I’ve caved to the mob and written “an ass” a whole other group of people chastise me for my literary, as opposed to grammatical, ignorance. I can’t win.