I was writing a script the other day which included the line "a long time ago" and it started me thinking.
Things can happen "a long time ago", things can happen "a short time ago" but nothing can happen just "ago". "I met my wife ago". "I saw that film ago". The word is completely dependent on being qualified by other words. What knd of word can't stand on its own two feet?
"Ago" is a very stupid word.