The unnamed male protagonist is defined by his career as a nomenclature consultant in New York: “He came up with names” (3). He finds coming up with product names exciting and almost physically taxing: “He bent them to see if they’d break, he dragged them behind cars by heavy metal chains” (3). In the past, the protagonist enjoyed the camaraderie of his office job and relished being an expert in his field. However, he left his job some time ago due to a “misfortune” (5), the nature of which he does not reveal. Now, the protagonist is emotionally closed-off.

In the present, the protagonist’s old boss Roger Tipple calls him to take a freelance assignment. He is watching a black and white silent movie when Tipple calls, which leads him to think about the importance of facial expressions when there are no words spoken. The protagonist takes the job because he has nothing else to do.

He travels to Winthrop, a small town in the Midwest where he will meet his clients. When he arrives, he checks into the old-fashioned and dingy Winthrop Hotel. Waiting at the front desk are a bottle of port from Mayor Goode, a history of the town from Mr.