Benchley did copy work for the Curtis Company during the summer following graduation, while doing other odd service jobs, such as translating French catalogs for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In September, he was hired by Curtis as a full-time staff member, preparing copy for its new house publication, "Obiter Dicta". The first issue was roundly criticized by management, who felt it was "too technical, too scattering, and wholly lacking in punch." Things did not improve for Benchley and "Obiter Dicta", and a failed practical joke at a company banquet further strained the relationship between Benchley and his superiors. He continued his attempts to develop his own voice within the publication, but Benchley and Curtis were not a good match, and he eventually left, as Curtis was considering eliminating Benchley's role and he had been offered a position in Boston with a better salary