War Stories: Color House Tales

“Doesn’t matter now,” I say, “the Postal Service has taken over the baggage compartment. No more courier packages can get on that last plane out.” We both instantly begin searching our airline guides for the first morning flight out.

When each catalog year ends, I make a list of all the vendors I’ve used and rank them by how much grief they’ve created for me. The No. 1 grief spot shifts year to year between data processing firms and color houses, but it’s usually a color house that has really worn me flat.