You're naive.
In The New Yorker for January 31, 1983, p. 61, William F. Buckley, the father of modern American conservatism, explains to posterity that in his limousine there actually are separate atmospheres: one for the chauffeur to breathe and the other for Mr. Buckley.
Click to enlarge.
The chauffeur is, of course, devoted to Mr. Buckley, and Mr. Buckley loves the chauffeur right back. In fifteen years, the chauffeur has not once acted uppity.
On the previous page, The New Yorker has foreshadowed Buckley's theme of the devoted servant with an advertisement for the Park Lane, a Helmsley hotel. Most of the advertisement is taken up by a thank-you note from Leona Helmsley, the president of Helmsley Hotels. According to the letter, a Mrs. John Distler had left a $58,000 pin in her room at the Park Lane. The Park Lane's employees found the pin and called Mr. Distler before he was even aware that it was missing, and Mr. Distler wrote back to thank them. Oh no, Mrs. Helmsley riposted to Mr. Distler; we keep our hotel open only because we are so devoted to you, and in any case the only fault was ours.
On the previous page, The New Yorker has foreshadowed Buckley's theme of the devoted servant with an advertisement for the Park Lane, a Helmsley hotel. Most of the advertisement is taken up by a thank-you note from Leona Helmsley, the president of Helmsley Hotels. According to the letter, a Mrs. John Distler had left a $58,000 pin in her room at the Park Lane. The Park Lane's employees found the pin and called Mr. Distler before he was even aware that it was missing, and Mr. Distler wrote back to thank them. Oh no, Mrs. Helmsley riposted to Mr. Distler; we keep our hotel open only because we are so devoted to you, and in any case the only fault was ours.
Under "Leona Helmsley," Wikipedia fills out the cultural context and establishes the utter truth of Mrs. Helmsley's profession of devotion. Ten years after writing her letter to Mr. Distler, Mrs. Helmsley went to prison -- in the first instance for tax evasion, but also, no doubt, for having told a housekeeper who went on to testify against her, "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." Wikipedia's typography goes on to add:
"Queen of Mean"
- "Lawyer Alan Dershowitz said he once had breakfast with Leona at one of the Helmsley hotels and the waiter brought him a cup of tea with a tiny bit of water spilled on the saucer. Alan says Leona grabbed the cup from him and smashed it on the floor, then demanded that the waiter get down on his hands and knees and beg for his job."[42]
Devotion doesn't come cheap, but vissi d'arte. Remember that the next time you breathe, little person.
