Month: August 2006

“How about we meet you for lunch, downtown?” No matter how professional, no matter how successful, no matter how utterly together they have it as senior managers, assistant vice presidents, program officers, partners, associates, interns, presidents, CFOs, or CEOs–the parent visit reduces adult offspring to a palpable state of adolescent dread. Oh sure, everyone (almost)…

Torrential rain, searing heat, snow by the foot, numbing cold–it matters not. Like the mail, my regulars appear at my podium every day, regardless. They anchor the hours and offer a curious kind of reassurance as I greet the hundreds of unknown others in between. “Hey Restaurant Gal. Save my seat for me?” Stew asks…

“Hi,” she almost whispered to me. “I have a reservation, to meet, um, someone.” Ah, the “someone” reservation. Someone has the potential to be one of many types of customers: –“I am here for a retirement party for SOMEONE in my office, but I have no clue who, because I just started working there this…