is the word....that you heard...

I was over at the Border’s earlier today – writing out a few recipes, if you must know – and there were a couple of young guys, maybe 24, having what amounted to a job interview. From what I could gather, as if I could help it, was that one was applying for a job, or volunteer, position for a summer day-camp-thing that involved teaching and playing chess for children. They went through the usual, if somewhat stilted, quick array of questions (Where did you go to school? Where have you worked? What are you doing next fall? What do you think of Philadelphia?, etc.) before getting to the meat. “So,” says interviewer, “what’s your chess background?” Now, I’m really interested and a million things go through my mind in that few seconds of dead time. Maybe this kid is a ringer. Maybe he’s never played chess at all and is simply hoping to find work in this economy. Maybe he’s Josh Waitzkin. (Well, he couldn’t be Josh because he’s too young to be him, isn’t he? (he’s not) and he doesn’t look at all like him.) Maybe he’s from India, is a chess master, and he’s simply trying to pass along his wisdom and skill so some Daniel Larusso kid. It turns out the guy lets him know that he plays often enough, online and with his brother. I’m not sure what to make of this chess CV but it doesn’t matter: the interviewer drops the interview bomb: “Well, of course, we should play ten games or so.” Yikes. Out comes a board and I hear pieces being set-up for the interview showdown (“The Borders War!” See how I did that?). What will happen? Is this guy just lying about his skills? After the chess hush falls over the Borders coffee area I hear four or five moves, some deep breathing, and then this, “Well, that’s good enough. You know how to play.” What? What happened? Was application boy all over chess club man’s fortress that quickly? Was there embarrassment on the horizon? I needed answers. I got none. I think it might have come down to this: moved one pawn one space, moved one pawn two spaces, did a diagonally thing, and made the horsey do an L. Done deal. Ten games? What was this? The World Championship?

I forgot to mention from our Eastern Market trip on Saturday that L. pointed out to me how often I open with the phrase, “I’ll tell you what…” when shopping / ordering / involving sellers at outdoor markets, farmers markets, and my cheesaries. I told her she reads too much. That little quip didn’t actually do much…

There was a new lion cub born at the National Zoo this morning and I’m only using that event so I can steal a photo of two of the adult lions that reside there. The lioness in this shot has a lot of Lemon the Slayer in her. Or, vice versa.