READER’S FORUM

June 15, 2026 at 08:20 pm Reply

Sam Altman

When I was younger, I read the scene where the characters panic about Cap donating all the school money to charity, and someone mentions that you can't just ask a charity for a refund to go buy a new TV because of how terrible it would look. For years, I genuinely believed that was how the real world worked. I thought if you asked a charity or a hospital for your money back, they would shame you and ask if you cared more about a TV than saving lives.

Well, I recently went to a hospital where I had made a donation and tested your logic. I walked right up to the desk, asked for a refund, and explicitly told them I wanted the money back so I could buy a flat-screen TV.

Instead of a massive dramatic confrontation like in Schooled, the employee didn't even make eye contact. They just muttered "okay," clicked a few buttons, processed the refund, and told me to move along so they could help the next person in line.

I spent years being anxious about this scenario because of your book, only to find out real-life customer service is way more boring and uncaring than Claverage Middle School!

Thanks for the great books, even if they didn't exactly prepare me for real-life bureaucracy.
June 16, 2026 at 02:27 am Reply

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Hi, Sam,

Thanks for posting and for the lesson in brutal reality! I can't believe you did that just to prove that you could! And did you get the flat-screen TV?

So customer service is boring and uncaring. Who knew? -----Gordon Korman-----
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Hi, Sam,

Thanks for posting and for the lesson in brutal reality! I can't believe you did that just to prove that you could! And did you get the flat-screen TV?

So customer service is boring and uncaring. Who knew? -----Gordon Korman-----
June 16, 2026 at 09:19 am Reply

Tim

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Hey
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Hey
June 16, 2026 at 06:00 pm Reply

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Hey, Tim. -----Gordon Korman-----

Obviously, you're a man of few words.
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Hey, Tim. -----Gordon Korman-----

Obviously, you're a man of few words.
July 18, 2026 at 03:15 am Reply

Marlee

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I love how you just made part of a story into reality!!!
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I love how you just made part of a story into reality!!!