I had to explain that companies would make everyone a contractor if there weren't laws against it; that they would jump at the chance to unload the cost of medical coverage, overtime, holidays, sick leave.

"You think so?"

"Jesus, Joel. Companies don't give benefits because they like to. People had to die in the streets-literallyto get these benefits."

"Did they?" Suddenly he seemed suspicious of me. Maybe I was indeed a decently successful software developer. Maybe I did read The Economist. Maybe we did get along quite well in nice restaurants. But there I was talking dead people in the street,just like some sort of commie.

We sat in the beautiful restaurant. Before us was a bottle of old, red wine. The vases of fresh cut flowers surrounded us. I lifted my glass. I talked labor history of the '20s. For the five-day work week, people did indeed get shot by company thugs and die in the streets; and there we sat, two independent contractors who brag about working all the time. Virtual employer and virtual employee, sipping their wine.