It began as the GODFATHER OF MATH, evolved into the GOODFATHER OF MATH. Now this. Go figure...

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The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and think for ten minutes = G. CARLIN...Stain glass, engraved glass, frosted glass
–give me plain glass = JOHN FOWLES ... Music is the mathematics of the gods=PYTHAGORAS ... Nothing is more fluid than language = R. L. SWIHART
I cannot live without the oxygen of laughter = DAWN POWELL ... !!! ... But laughter cannot survive without the hydrogen of gravitas = PAUL OLIVERIO
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Sunday, April 22, 2018

A Starbucks Moment From ... The Neither/Nor Journal

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You tell a clever joke while getting a  refill. 
The girl behind the counter laughs 
and then doesn't charge you anything. 
That is a nice moment 
and you are grateful.
 
The next day, you try the same joke
on another Starbucks employee
but she charges you 50¢
for the refill because 
"that is company policy." 

She even points out a sign
on the wall to that effect. 
You pay the 50¢
wordlessly
but seethe within your skin

Then you realize that
this girl is just doing her job. 

Though you may not like her for that,
there is suddenly respect 
where had been
pleasantry.

Respect being a concept
so much nicer than Nice.

***

PAUL OLIVERIO
1999

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Footnotes
A STARBUCKS MOMENT FROM...
THE NEITHER/NOR JOURNAL
is the copyrighted property of LCSOL

It was also copyrighted nineteen years ago 
THE NEITHER/NOR JOURNAL,
published in 1999, was subtitled
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