DB<9> say ("a".."c")[1]
syntax error at (eval 18)[c:/Strawberry/perl/lib/perl5db.pl:738] line 2, near ")["

  DB<10> say (("a".."c")[1])               # how it works
b

  DB<11> say +("a".."c")[1]                # avoid extra parens
b

  DB<12> say +("a".."c")[1..2]             # LIST uneffected
bc

  DB<13>