In the late 1970s, National Public Radio’s “Earplay” program commissioned established authors from other media to write original radio plays. Elkin accepted the challenge and found inspiration in the daily banter of the WashU English department’s coffee room in Duncker Hall. He thinly disguised himself and his colleagues in a “room realism” play taking place over one morning, where the characters come and go to gossip, collude, confess and complain with one another. The original broadcast starred comic actor Fred Gwynne. In a later, locally-produced broadcast for KWMU, Elkin played the lead role (effectively, himself). The book version was featured at WashU Libraries’ 1996 Milestone Celebration of the acquisition of its three millionth volume.