Agree with respect to code organization but I can't help but feel the the number three is somewhat arbitrary and it nudges the reader in the wrong direction. I

Agree with respect to code organization but I can't help but feel the the number three is somewhat arbitrary and it nudges the reader in the wrong direction. Instead of waiting until the third, I evaluate by asking myself if the duplication is accidental, how likely is it for the next instance to be different, and what will any extra arguments look like. If it doesn't feel right I leave the repetition.