I remember when Theresa was giving me a tour of the office she said something like, "Perceptive is a name everyone has heard of." I guess since I was new to the area she was trying to make me feel pretty good about getting a job there. Theresa beamed when she told me this news. She had been with the company for a long time. I didn't know what to say. "Everyone in Shawnee or everyone in Kansas City?" I finally asked. "Well, everyone around here, I guess, " was Theresa's answer. We were in a tiny... read full review »

I worked on a project for Carson Stoga Communications a few years ago. The company is based in Schamburg, which meant that it took me nearly two hours to get there in the morning. I'd stay late so the evening drive home wasn't as bad. But the situation wasn't ideal, to say the least. I had been living on the fringes of Chicago for more than a decade after moving out there from Minnesota. I wanted to live in the city, but I didn't want to pay the rents. I spent a few years in an apartment outside Tinley Park, in a... read full review »

I never liked living in Missouri. It was the people. They were mean and bitter in a way that you don't find elsewhere in the Midwest. At least that's what I think. Other people tell me that it's just my imagination, or that I'm biased in my thinking because of what happened to me down there with Anne. But this has nothing to do with Anne. I just don't like the place. In any event, I do have something interesting to relate in terms of the work that I was doing back in those days. I worked for a company called NJC... read full review »

I was on contract at Sync Creative for a while, back when I was still living in Columbus. That was more than a year ago now, if you can believe it. I think about that time sometimes and realize that I was never really thinking straight most of the time. I was living on my own for the first time in years, and I think the solitude and the impact of my sudden change in circumstances took a toll on me that I could not measure at the time. But now I have perspective. I can view my actions more thoughtfully, and with a certain sense of... read full review »

I was on contract at Sync Creative for a while, back when I was still living in Columbus. I think about those years sometimes and realize that I was never really thinking straight most of the time. I was living on my own for the first time in years, and I think the solitude and the impact of my sudden change in circumstances took a toll on me that I could not measure at the time. But now I have perspective. I can view my actions more thoughtfully, and with a certain sense of detachment. In any event, the work I did at Sync was mostly... read full review »

People kept telling me it was a lousy winter. I remember that the clerk at the motel proclaimed this to me as soon as I stepped in the door. "Lousy winter, " he said. "Wipe off your boots before you come and closer." It was a lousy winter. Everyone was right. It would snow and then the next day it would snow again. The people doing the weather on television showed us the storms as they marched by, one after the other. They colored them red and the looked like stripes, running up and down the screen but moving east... read full review »

I remember back when Innis was working with JTnet out in Decatur, and he had to spend most of his time on the phone. Sometimes they would give him the overnight shift for clients that offered twenty-four hour customer service. What I mean is that JTnet would take care of the customer service side of things for you. That was their business, along with some other stuff I can't even remember. Anyway, I was at the New Frontier Eatery in Springfield one morning when Innis came back from one of those overnight shifts I was telling you... read full review »

I found Quinton at the Radio Bean Coffeehouse the other day. That is to say, I had not seen the man in over a year. He was huddled over a notebook computer, typing in small spurts. Normally I wouldn't disturb someone in such a state, but I had not seen the man in so long that I couldn't resist going over. He looked up as I approached the table. He seemed surprised, but was trying to look like it was just another boring day. "It's been a while, " he said. I sat down across from him. "I don't mean to... read full review »

The motel manager woke me up at around three in the morning. He was banging on my door for about five minutes before I decided to get up and see what was going on. "What took you so long?" he asked when he saw me. "You could have been a crazy person, " I said. "At this time of night. One of your other guests coming to rob me at knifepoint." "I don't allow such guests at my establishment, " the manager told me. "But how do you know?" I said. "What I mean is, someone could look... read full review »