New Job for May

    May accepted one of the three offers that were put forward to her. She'll be taking a position at the SoHo shop in a couple of weeks. The deal was, in many ways, to good to refuse. She keeps some management responsibilities, but trying to convince unionized employees that working is part of the deal will no longer eat up her time. The pay is better. The location is nice. They'll front for conferences (by the by, anybody who works in publishing – is that anybody beside Kellnerin? – and is headed to BEA can find her as a panelist) and other industry deals. All in all, the new gig will be a massive improvement.

Old Job for May

    Until such time, however, she's got to work the old gig. Two stories from the shop:

    Story 1: The shop hosted a "conversation" between two presumably noted philosophers the other day. Neither May nor I recognized the names, but, judging by the turn out, plenty of deep thinking gals and fellas must have known who these two cats were.
    One was a French philosopher, the other a Brit.
    May tuned out when the French philosopher claimed that the proletariat were "generic" because they had nothing. The systematic elimination of wealth gave them a sameness that allowed them to be discussed as a unity because of the monotony of conditions imposed on them by capitalism.
    Both Ike the Lazy Anarchist and Suzie were working the show with her. May had a hard time thinking of two less alike people. She wondered if the guest star deep-thinker even noticed who worked at the shop.

    Story 2: Suzie was helping a customer the other day and, after helping them find a book, the customer tried to tip her.
    She talked the customer out of it.
    Later, Suzie explained that people often try to tip handicapped workers for simply doing their job. She doesn't think they're trying to be condescending or anything. Often it is the most polite and kind customers. She always turns it down.
    Suzie said it even happens on the street, people will just try to give her money, like she's a panhandler.
    Pecksniff mentioned that it must be hard turning down free-money. Condescending or not, he reckoned, money is money.
    Suzie replied that every non-handicapped person she's ever mentioned the tipping thing to says that. She figured it was because we've never had to work for dignity, it is given to us gratis to be sold, bartered, or given away.

Office: Amnesty Program

    Mr. Bruce, the king bee of the PtB hive-organism, has stepped in to put an end to search for the hanger thief. In exchange for ending the investigation and granting full amnesty to the thief, whoever it may be (Mother Russia) and regardless of whether they confess or not, he agreed to buy Laura a personal hanger and she can hang it in his personal closet.
    Laura accepted the offer on Tuesday.
    Mother Russia (Ahem) on hearing the offer was accepted expressed doubts. "People forgive, but people don't forget."