Building Material Quotes

“It was unexpected generosity from Sammy, someone who wouldn’t share the flu if he had it.”
― Stephen Bruno, Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman—A Hilarious Memoir of a Doorman's Experiences with the Rich and Famous on Park Avenue

“The girl’s mother will be curious about the residents. How rich are they? Any famous people in the building? At some point, she’ll remember she has her own job to do, which is getting to know the young man sitting next to her daughter on the couch, but, still curious about Park Avenue residents (Park Ave is far from Throggs Neck, after all), she’ll ask a powerhouse question, the one that could bring about your demise: Do the residents like you? There are myriad ways to fumble the answer to this diabolically booby-trapped question. One answer you must avoid is Yes, of course. Trust me, it’s not the right answer, Doormen. Better to say I think so . . . I mean, they’ve kept me around this long (shrug your shoulders at this point, maybe chuckle in deference to her authority). Why is this answer better? It redirects to an all-important truth: you have a job.”
― Stephen Bruno, Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman—A Hilarious Memoir of a Doorman's Experiences with the Rich and Famous on Park Avenue