Heavy labor was the heart and soul of the Bambakias intellectual salon. W. Alcott Bambakias had quite a number of unorthodox beliefs, but chief among them was his deep conviction that sycophants and rip-off artists always tired easily. Bambakias, like many members of the modern overclass, was always ready with an openhearted gesture, a highly public flinging of golden ducats. His largesse naturally attracted parasites, but he rid himself of "the summer soldiers and the sunshine patriots," as he insisted on calling them, by demanding frequent stints of brute physical work. "It’ll be fun," Bambakias would announce, rolling up his tailored sleeves and grinning fiercely. "We’ll get results."