What does it mean by "bracket ~ close bracket" in this context? (Fro the book, After You) This is from the book, After you, and there's not much context yet since I'm just on the beginning page of it, The narrator is a woman, bartender I guess and she is talking to a man who looks terrified to get on a flight. 'I'm meant to be travelling over to meet my new boss, and I can't. I haven't had the guts to teel him I'm scared of flying.' I let the door close behind me. 'What's your new job?' He blinks. 'Uh... car parts. I'm the New Senior Regional Manager, ***bracket Spares close bracket***, for Hunt Motors.' 'Sounds like a big job,' I say. 'You have... brackets.' 'I've been working for it a long time.' I don't really understand the part marked in stars. What is implied if something is in bracket? Is it [ ]? Does it mean something of importance since the woman replies he seems to have a big job since "he has brackets." And what's *Sparse* here?