“… and some people-” said Sam, his discourse on all the evils of the world looking like it was rallying for another offensive.

“Please,” said Ian. “Don’t get us chucked out of Borders again. I swear I will deny all knowledge of you if the security get called.”

“But don’t all these things bother you?!” Sam demanded. “That writers with the temerity to place an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence alongside a question mark bask in success while true art wallows in failure?”

“You’re getting melodramatic again.”

“But you know-”

“I’ll tell you what I know. I know that we all have rules and tastes and standards that are unique to us. You know what really annoys me in writing? One. Word. Sentences. But hey, other people don’t care, so let’s just live and let live.”

“Some people-”

“We are some people, Sam. And out there, someone thinks we’re doing the wrong thing. Maybe we are. We just have to do our best. I don’t think playing judge is going to help. Now let’s get a coffee and a muffin.”