Fruitless
Reward: The Economist levels up!
The Economist considered investing in a food service company, but they didn’t find their products very appetizing.
- Fiona looked up from cleaning the bakeshop to see Henry, the hapless cobbler who lived down the lane.
- “What brings you by, Henry?”
- “I thought you . . . I wondered if . . . er . . . I . . .” He trailed off into an odd grunt.
- Fiona raised an eyebrow. Henry dropped his shoulders in a nervous slump.
- She took pity. “Well, I’d enjoy the company while I finish. I don’t suppose you’d like to do a bit of scouring? All I have is this execrable sponge, and I’m about fed up.”
- Just then, in came Smug Betty, the gossip, who looked knowingly from Henry to Fiona and back again. “Why Fiona, you reprehensible tart,” she said.
- “Pish tosh,” said Fiona, adjusting her apron’s crooked buckle. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
- Henry finally found his tongue. “Even an officious fool like you should know that I only came here to order dessert.”