“Had you asked him to collate the copies,” the manager said, “he would have done so. You may have said ‘each’.”
“I said no such thing. I certainly didn’t tell him not to collate the copies, or to un-collate the original, which was collated. What does the word ‘copy’ mean to you people, anyway?”
“Give me the manuscript,” said the manager, holding out his hand. “I’ll do it over for you.”
“There no longer is a manuscript,” I was obliged to explain. “What was a manuscript is now four-hundred and seventy-four discrete pieces of paper.” With that and on the verge of tears I took my package of not-collated copies and made ready to go. The copy shop manager must have inferred my despair, for when I looked up his face registered a dint of pity.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “The boy is new. It’s only h
