Zay Smith

It was in the evening, and I was working on a story when suddenly I was called into managing editor Stu Lurie's office. And if you called into the office late at night, I was worried that this was not good news. I didn't know what it might be. But Stu's first words, and he was smiling when he said them, he said, Zay, have you ever waited tables before? And I said, yes.

It was in the evening, and I was working on a story when suddenly I was called into managing editor Stu Lurie's office. And if you called into the office late at night, I was worried that this was not good news. I didn't know what it might be. But Stu's first words, and he was smiling when he said them, he said, Zay, have you ever waited tables before? And I said, yes.

And they said, can you hold your liquor? And I sensed something was happening here. And I decided I was going to answer yes to every question, no matter what it was. And I said, yes. And they said, are you good at talking to people? And I said, yes. Otherwise, can you keep your mouth shut if you have to? And I said, yes. And then he asked, can you write 50,000 words in a big hurry?

And they said, can you hold your liquor? And I sensed something was happening here. And I decided I was going to answer yes to every question, no matter what it was. And I said, yes. And they said, are you good at talking to people? And I said, yes. Otherwise, can you keep your mouth shut if you have to? And I said, yes. And then he asked, can you write 50,000 words in a big hurry?

And I said, yes. And at that point, Stu leaned back in his chair and smiled and said, Zay, I think we're going to detach you from the city room for a while. At the end of the meeting, Stu Lurie said, do you have a nickname? And I said, well, my college friends call me Norty. And he said, all right, well, good luck, Norty the bartender.

And I said, yes. And at that point, Stu leaned back in his chair and smiled and said, Zay, I think we're going to detach you from the city room for a while. At the end of the meeting, Stu Lurie said, do you have a nickname? And I said, well, my college friends call me Norty. And he said, all right, well, good luck, Norty the bartender.

And the story needed a second reporter to work with Pam, and I said yes.

And the story needed a second reporter to work with Pam, and I said yes.

This was a big project with all kinds of things that could go quite terribly wrong.

This was a big project with all kinds of things that could go quite terribly wrong.

Well, aside from the fact that the cover could be blown and the whole project could just be collapsed, someone could be killed in our tavern. I mean, it's a tavern in Chicago, and you're always careful. There were so many ways it could go wrong.

Well, aside from the fact that the cover could be blown and the whole project could just be collapsed, someone could be killed in our tavern. I mean, it's a tavern in Chicago, and you're always careful. There were so many ways it could go wrong.

I remember very well one of those moments in life you remember, corner of Wells and Superior, parking my car, not really knowing quite what I'd be called upon to do, opening the screen door and going in. There's a bar along the left, some booths on the right, and a jukebox, and this is a shot and a beer kind of place.

I remember very well one of those moments in life you remember, corner of Wells and Superior, parking my car, not really knowing quite what I'd be called upon to do, opening the screen door and going in. There's a bar along the left, some booths on the right, and a jukebox, and this is a shot and a beer kind of place.

were trying to figure out what to name the tavern. And they came up with any number of, well, half-joking, like the Golden Scoop or the Sunny Times Tap. But these professional writers, we, could not come up with a tavern. Bill Recktenwald, a gifted investigator, finally just said, why don't you call it the Mirage? That's what it's going to be. And he was right. It was perfect.

were trying to figure out what to name the tavern. And they came up with any number of, well, half-joking, like the Golden Scoop or the Sunny Times Tap. But these professional writers, we, could not come up with a tavern. Bill Recktenwald, a gifted investigator, finally just said, why don't you call it the Mirage? That's what it's going to be. And he was right. It was perfect.

What the owner is supposed to say is, isn't there some way we can avoid this aggravation? That's a key word in Chicago. That sentence has been spoken so many times. Isn't there some way we can avoid this aggravation? At which point you start negotiating.

What the owner is supposed to say is, isn't there some way we can avoid this aggravation? That's a key word in Chicago. That sentence has been spoken so many times. Isn't there some way we can avoid this aggravation? At which point you start negotiating.

In order to avoid entrapment, and if you have an inspector who's obviously fishing for an envelope of money, we just stood there like the dumbest kids on the block. We didn't make a move to the point where some of the inspectors could tell they were almost frustrated having to move this thing along and get their pay off. We looked like just dumb beginners, which is what we were.

In order to avoid entrapment, and if you have an inspector who's obviously fishing for an envelope of money, we just stood there like the dumbest kids on the block. We didn't make a move to the point where some of the inspectors could tell they were almost frustrated having to move this thing along and get their pay off. We looked like just dumb beginners, which is what we were.