api.assign() =>
    AssignAction(...)
    this.request('...')
        .success(() => AssignSuccessAction())
        .error(() => AssignErrorAction())


ThingStore =>
    onAssign:
        // we want to emulate a Set() for this
        item.state.assignInProgress = true;

    onAssignSuccess:
        item.state.assignInProgress = false;

    onAssignError:
        item.state.assignInProgress = false;
        AddAlertAction('there was an error and theres no good way for us to tell the component about it')


AssignComponent =>
    render() {
        if item.state.assignInProgress
            return 'in progress'
        else
            return '<a ...>'
    }