Some of my stories about waiting tables were published in The Sun magazine (March, 2005) under the title "They Always Call You 'Miss.'" One of the reader responses to these stories was from a fellow who said he hoped I had a different job by now (I do, thank you for asking) because I certainly don’t belong in the service industry, and then he gave me a little lecture on respect being a two-way street, for god’s sake.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent more time than I should have thinking about this letter. I thought:
1. what's with people-- do they have no sense of humor?
2. I was a nice waitress, I beg your pardon!
3. of all the things to care about in the world, why would someone care about this?
4. what relationship do I have to the personas I create when I write?
The first story of mine printed in The Sun (Suzy Joins the Sex Club) elicited a response from a reader who said the only future she saw for me was life in a mental institution- which makes the lecture on respect seem downright friendly.