Bartleby...

...is set on Wall Street. I work on Wall Street. (at least until the end of the week)

For those of you not versed with the story and at risk of being crucified for this Reader's Digest Cliff Notes-dvd version, here's the basics. Guy (named Bartleby) comes to work for a man and proceeds to frustrate the staff because he doesn't want to make friends yet impresses the boss because he's damned good at what he does. Boss finds out though that he's been sleeping there, kicks him out and never sees him again.

(To avoid your ability to use this for any redeeming purpose, I will end here)

Today, Bartleby would have to sign in at the front desk of the building, take the elevator to his floor and have a fingerprint scan to get in the door. Then he'll sign in AGAIN, and take a seat. All before beginning his daily tasks. He'll go days before meeting a boss, much less the boss. At lunch, he'll scurry down to grab a wrap and water at a bistro where Bloomberg tv, cnn and nbc are on flat screens parading as art on the wall. He'll check his blackberry, change the playlist on his ipod and think about the rising cost of his loft. Wonder why he's quiet? Because his ipod's playing and when he's done with a task, he checks up on his stocks.

Bartleby could have been a temp.

I'm reading Moby Dick by Melville currently. If I saw me on the train, I'd interrupt my reading and ask if that's the book about the whale. Just for a laugh. Sadly, no one's done that yet. I think humor is lost somewhere around Spring Street.