“Hello, I’d like to see Jonathan Maltley,” said Rob Winthrop. He smiled at the receptionist, who was a slim-faced loam-eye with a thin, shrill voice that made him seem less handsome once you heard it. He looked like a turtle that lost its shell in a kiln, and you could tell he didn’t have enough testosterone to grow the mustache he thought he deserved.
“Do you have an appointment?” asked the annoying assistant with a wrinkle in his nose like Rob should have already known all this. He sat back in his chair as though he was overlooking his empire, which he was, but ‘his empire’ was this waiting room. Least regal emperor ever. Your average emperor penguin is more commanding. The assistant soured up in Rob’s direction.
“Hmm-hmm.” The assistant smiled politely, which just made his rat-like face more weaselish. If he knew how he looked when he smiled, he’d never do it. “What can I tell him this is concerning?”