Quote 231 of 495

As a newcomer of a slightly later period, John Bainbridge was as
astonished as I by the coldness he encountered at the magazine.  A
Middle Westerner, brought up in the genial civilities of that part of
the world, Bainbridge had always longed to write for The New
Yorker and rub elbows with Ross, E.B. White, Wolcott Gibbs, and
the other great men about whom he had read and heard.  At last he
found himself on the staff and with an office on the same floor as
Gibbs.  He knew Gibbs by sight, but had never spoken to him.
Bainbridge was in the habit of getting to the office early, and so was
Gibbs, on the days when he got there at all.  On the morning of a day
that happened to follow New Year's Day, Bainbridge stopped at the
water-cooler for a drink.  Gibbs came up and drew a couple of quick
ones.  Seizing this opportunity to make conversation, Bainbridge said,
"Did you have a nice New Year's, Mr. Gibbs?"

"Fuck you," Gibbs said, tossed his paper cup into the basket, and
walked back to his office.
		-- Brendan Gill, Here at the New Yorker,
		   p. 115.

Tags: ross newyear habit elbows newcomer newyorker wolcott coldness greatmen gibbs westerner ebwhite brendangill johnbainbridge