San Francisco Chronicle When
Jesse Hamlin started as
Herb Caen's legman in 1979, "I was too thorough of a reporter, in a way. Herb said I was asking too many questions and killing items. He wanted just enough confirmation to verify the basic story." After Caen (left) announced he had lung cancer and was trying hard to keep writing the column, Hamlin called his boss to commiserate and ask if he needed anything. "Yeah," he replied. "Items."
