Arnon

Interesting. What would the skills of a train conductor be, and how would they compare to your writing? I would say they need to:

-Check the validity of documents
-Know arrival and departure times
-Wear a uniform

And, in this day and age, they need to:

-Be friendly, hospitable, and service minded

By these standards, I would say you are an old fashioned writer without a uniform.

There is something sad in this. I mean, it is like she believes: "I could never become a train conductor."

That's the saddest thing I ever heard, H*ke

Definitely something kind and sad. I hear her say: “You are wasting your life as a mere simple steward. Please make a social climb. Make some money and be respected. You deserve more than this”.

Also, in Switzerland, as a conductor you have to have a phenomenal memory for faces, since the conductors like to make a point of checking each ticket only once, whereas they pass each compartment almost between every stop (at least on the intercity trains).
I don't know whether this behavior is simply convention, or they actually have a rule in their little rulebook telling them to do this. Whatever the reason may be, I experience it as the ultimate form of service mindedness: going out of your way not to bother the customer any more than strictly necessary.

Face-reading and behaviour-skills, as people tend to give themselves away when their ticket hasn't been checked.

I'll never get it

Some questions: how do you get all this jobs you'r talking about in this blog? Are you as -I suppose-not unrich man taking some other peoples jobs(like in this-what is it- railbarservice)? do you want to make yourself special by doing those jobs? At least on parties you can say: "OH well you know, I'm not all intellectual, no no, I really DO know how real hard life is...I'm down to earth and a worker from the street!" and then you use your nice little experiences and anecdotes to cheer up the fancy party people... Come on!

Standardhebung

It’s very well possible to be let’s say a steward in a dining car and an intellectual.
But that was not your question.
You want to know how to get such a nicejob yourself?
I suggest you contact my assistant (Johannes@arnongrunberg.com). Or maybe even better you start reading my articles about my life as a steward.
Reading can answer many questions.
FYI I never go to parties.

To Arnon Grunberg

"FYI I never go to parties. "

This is quite untrue, isn't it?

Pjötr

It isn't. I rarely go to parties. Have we ever met at a party?

To Arnon Grunberg

'Meeting' is not the right word for it. We do sit next to each other on a picture - of the party in 'Kapitein Zeppos'.
We once talked briefly in Brussels. But that was on a reading, not a party.

I thought you had a annual rendez-vous to celebrate thanksgiving, and that you attended to your godson's birthdays. Perhaps we differ on what the definition of 'rarely' precisely is. The same thing counts for parties.

Have you given your relationship to Belgium any thoughts yet?

Dens

You're right. Oftentimes I notice that the conductors "cheat" by watching for certain behavioral signals by the traveler. This usually works, especially in Switzerland where most people are honest enough (I've seen people calling back the conductor because he forgot to check their tickets). But sometimes you encounter a conductor that actually does remember exactly whose tickets they've already seen.

I like people who take pride in their job.

Pjötr

I don’t consider a Thanksgiving dinner a party, so I stick to what I said: I rarely go to parties.
I did comment on your question regarding Belgium