Synopsis

A fan's curious inquiry – which body part he could forgo – stirred a memory in Karl. He recalled a past attempt to navigate dishwashing without the aid of his thumbs. Other letters from admirers posed questions ranging from aspirational – who would he choose to be if anyone? – to philosophical, concerning his thoughts on Descartes. He also pondered the proverb, “a stitch in time saves nine.” In the short story “Monkey News,” a construction worker expresses annoyance at finding a chimpanzee on th