--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let…" description: "\"“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank teller. “One of my frie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/studs-terkel-3020_children_who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let_367811.jpg" --- # Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame… ![“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank teller. “One of my friends stopped by and asked where I was at. They said, ‘She’s no longer with us.’ That’s all. I vanished.”) It’s nothing personal, really. Dickens’s…” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/studs-terkel-3020_children_who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let_367811.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/studs-terkel-3020_children_who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let_367811.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/studs-terkel-3020_children_who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let_367811.jpg) > ““Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank teller. “One of my friends stopped by and asked where I was at. They said, ‘She’s no longer with us.’ That’s all. I vanished.”) It’s nothing personal, really. Dickens’s people have been replaced by Beckett’s.”” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on anonymity and replacement in modern work life, highlighting how personal identity can be erased in corporate settings. **In simple terms:** People can become invisible in jobs. Key Takeaway Recognize and preserve personal identity at work. Themes identity anonymity workplace replacement humanity Mood reflective somber Type observational critical When to use this quote - job loss - career transition - human resources policies - personal branding Key Concepts social alienation corporate turnover personal dignity Questions to Reflect On - How does anonymity affect self-worth? - What can organizations do to honor individual identities? A Different Perspective It overlooks the agency individuals have to shape their narrative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Last place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-place/) ## Related quotes > [Any time you stand in line at the D.M.V. and look around, you're like, Oh, my God, I wish all these people were replaced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/any-time-you-stand-in-line-at-the-d-m-v-and-look-around-you-re-like/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [People can be replaced at any given point of time, but there is no substitute for a human touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/people-can-be-replaced-at-any-given-point-of-time-but-there-is-no/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Would that well-thinking people should be replaced by thinking ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/would-that-well-thinking-people-should-be-replaced-by-thinking-ones/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) > [“Like socks in a dryer, it had vanished into the ether.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/like-socks-in-a-dryer-it-had-vanished-into-the-ether/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [The love had just vanished. We're still friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-love-had-just-vanished-we-re-still-friendly/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > ['Ice Cold' is the eighth in my 'Rizzoli and Isles' thriller series. It was inspired by a true occurrence in the 1960s, now known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/ice-cold-is-the-eighth-in-my-rizzoli-and-isles-thriller-series-it-was/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Do not look sad. We shall meet soon again." "Please, Aslan", said Lucy,"what do you call soon?" "I call all times soon" said Aslan;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-look-sad-we-shall-meet-soon-again-please-aslan-said-lucy-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember travel agents? Remember how they just kind of vanished one day? Well, that's where all the other jobs that once made us middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/remember-travel-agents-remember-how-they-just-kind-of-vanished-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“The missing girl—there had been unceasing news reports, always flashing to that achingly ordinary school portrait of the vanished teen, you know the one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/the-missing-girl-there-had-been-unceasing-news-reports-always/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [“Then the geese replaced themselves with six pigs and vanished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/then-the-geese-replaced-themselves-with-six-pigs-and-vanished/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [The spoken word vanished with the wind. Likewise, the unrecorded life disappears as if it never existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/the-spoken-word-vanished-with-the-wind-likewise-the-unrecorded-life/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [Suddenly, as rare things will, it vanished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/suddenly-as-rare-things-will-it-vanished/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“Maybe I am fated to always be alone, Tsukuru found himself thinking. People came to him, but in the end they always left. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/maybe-i-am-fated-to-always-be-alone-tsukuru-found-himself-thinking/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The person who did all of these things has gone away, vanished without a trace in the ecstasy of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-person-who-did-all-of-these-things-has-gone-away-vanished-without/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Well, I'm late for something incredibly important," Lucien said, and before I could call him on his outright lie or beg him to stay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/well-i-m-late-for-something-incredibly-important-lucien-said-and/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. In the town of Phillips, one evening, during a blizzard, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/it-was-in-35-we-had-this-campaign-to-raise-a-million-tax-dollars-in/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-read-somewhere-that-when-a-person-takes-part-in-community-action/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/don-t-be-an-examiner-be-the-interested-inquirer/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/hope-never-trickles-down-it-always-springs-up/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I never drove a car. I'm hopeless that way. I press the wrong buttons on the tape recorder. But if the person I'm interviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-never-drove-a-car-i-m-hopeless-that-way-i-press-the-wrong-buttons/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/to-survive-the-day-is-triumph-enough-for-the-walking-wounded-among/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“I’ll never forget that Depression Easter Sunday. Our son was four years old. I bought ten or fifteen cents’ worth of eggs. You didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-ll-never-forget-that-depression-easter-sunday-our-son-was-four/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/all-you-need-in-life-is-truth-and-beauty-and-you-can-find-both-at-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/reading-a-book-should-not-be-a-passive-exercise-but-rather-a-raucous/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-hope-for-peace-and-sanity-it-s-the-same-thing/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to museums, courthouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-total-cost-of-the-federal-arts-project-was-only-23-million-many/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-find-labels-liberal-and-conservative-of-little-meaning-our-language/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-trouble-with-censorship-is-that-once-it-starts-it-is-hard-to-stop/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [At a time when pimpery, lick-spittlery, and picking the public's pocket are the order of the day - indeed, officially proclaimed as virtue -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/at-a-time-when-pimpery-lick-spittlery-and-picking-the-public-s-pocket/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) [Explore all 142 Studs Terkel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank teller. “One of my friends stopped by and asked where I was at. They said, ‘She’s no longer with us.’ That’s all. I vanished.”) It’s nothing personal, really. 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