I used to spend a lot of nights after work in the reference room of the Boston Public Library in the 1980's. They closed at 9pm, but until then they would get

I used to spend a lot of nights after work in the reference room of the Boston Public Library in the 1980's. They closed at 9pm, but until then they would get phone calls from guys in bars to settle arguments. I think of them every time I'm out with people and I check my phone to settle a debate. One time the Boston Globe was running a contest which gave daily clues to the identity of a famous Bostonian. Most were trivially easy, but I happened to be there one night when I would hear them pick up the phone and just say "Melnea Cass" and hang up, over and over again. This was before the street was named after her.