I read this fun anecdote about him, I think in Klausenmeyer. Not sure if this is apocryphal but the story goes that Benjamin, during one of his many stays in pa

I read this fun anecdote about him, I think in Klausenmeyer. Not sure if this is apocryphal but the story goes that Benjamin, during one of his many stays in paris, developed a certain ritual. Every evening, before settling into his writing or reading, he'd visit the same cafe in le marais, always occupying the same seat by the window. The cafe was nondescript, but apparently Benjamin was drawn to it due to an old, barely functional gramophone they had, uncommon for the time. he would usually request the barista to play a record. The gramophone had a quirk. it played every record slightly slower than it should, making it sound a bit more melancholic Apparently Benjamin walked in one night to find another patron sitting in his favorite spot. most would've taken another seat, but benjamin, ever the stickler for his rituals, decided to wait. He ordered a coffee and stood near the entrance, patiently waiting, occasionally glancing at the unaware man who was engrossed in a newspaper. The minutes turned into hours. the sun set, and the cafe's dim lights were starting to cast shadows. Benjamin's coffee went cold, etc. Meanwhile the patron showed no signs of leaving. and just when it seemed like benjamin would finally give up and break his ritual, the man stood up, folded his newspaper, and began to walk out. but, not before stopping by the gramophone, placing a coin, and letting it play a tune. Anyway the record, due to the gramophone's quirk, played one of Benjamin's own radio broadcasts in its distorted way. Supposedly this is the event that really got him thinking about the effects of reproduction of art and media more broadly