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great opening lines:company by max berry

Monday morning and there’s one less donut than there should be.

Keen observers note the reduced mass straightaway but stay silent, because saying, “Hey, is that only seven donuts?” would betray their donut experience.  It’s not great for your career to be known as the person who can spot the difference between seven and eight donuts at a glance.  Everyone studiously avoids mentioning the missing donut until Roger turns up and sees the empty plate.

Roger says, “Where’s my donut?”

Elizabeth dabs at her mouth with a piece of paper towel.  “I only took one.” Roger looks at her.  “What?”

“That’s a defensive response.  I asked where my donut was.  You tell me how many you took.  What does that say?”

“It says I took one donut,” Elizabeth says, rattled.

“But I didn’t ask how many donuts you took.  Naturally I would assume you took one.  But by taking the trouble to articulate that assumption, you imply, deliberately or otherwise, that it’s debatable.”

          — from Company by Max Berry