Books and Cigars

On the radio several years ago I heard a story about cigar makers in Florida. This was several decades ago, I think. Anyway, while they worked, there was someone who read books to them all day, classics, all kinds of stuff. Can't remember how this happened, whether their union paid for it or extracted it as a benefit from their employer. Or maybe the company did it on its own as a morale booster. Now that's my kind of job--minus the carcinogenic aspects. Maybe the job itself wasn't very satisfying, but it was it was quiet enough to allow for that big literary bonus.

Another reason I find this especially interesting is that my great grandfather was a cigar maker here in Toledo, Ohio. Although he died in the thirties, ten years or more before I was born, I imagine I would have heard if he had had this unusual perk with his job. Just think of how his progeny might have have benefitted if he had spent all his working life being read to. And think of how much better educated we would be if this were the accompaniment to every job that would accommodate it.

My ideal job--the reader, of course. ...The Tale of Genji...Janet Evanovitch...Moby Dick...Charles Bukowski...Nagarjuna...Douglas Hofstadter...