[Sca-cooks] OT: And From Our File of Ancient Traditions You Never Heard Of, #716

[Stefan li Rous]

Speaking of things I never heard of, Adamantius mentioned:

<<< Last week, in preparation for New Year's, we brought home about two
dozen large, sweet, beautiful navel oranges and placed them in the
bowl on the dining table. At some point on the evening before New
Year's Day, the bowl had migrated to the front door, where it has
remained, dispensing oranges, little red envelopes stuffed with small
amounts of lucky money, and little hard candies, through the New Year
celebration. Guests, if any, pick up oranges, an envelope, and some
candy as they leave, the UPS man or the postal carrier, the building
super, they frequently receive these items (the building super doesn't
get $2 in his envelope, though!). >>>

Perhaps this is a bit of Chinese or urban or New York sociology, but  
what *is* a building super and why is he mentioned? Why would he not  
get $2? Would that be considered bribery? Or is this a expected tip/ 
protection racket and he actually gets more?

Stefan
puzzled suburbanite
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****