Henry Edward Fool
I’m a desk clerk in a small privately-owned hotel, and that’s an awkward situation for me because, fundamentally I’m an inward, and by that I mean socially inept, individual. Dealing with strangers on a daily basis is not just difficult for me—demanding an exuberance for my fellow man which I simply do not posses—it is slightly painful at times, at times embarrassing. And, because I have a very low tolerance for either idiocy or pretence, sometimes it becomes almost unbearable. It’s natural, I think, at this point for you to ask how I managed to get into this situation. I’ve gnawed on that so many times that I’ve shattered teeth in the process, but that will be explained in time. The mystery is how I remain. Why FATE should waste so much effort keeping me in this utterly hopeless, painful and senseless situation is beyond me. Clearly the gods have taken a real disliking to Henry Edward Fool.
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