“You fix – the Fourth Wall?” the Narrator choked. He was, quite clearly, trying not to laugh. “Are you serious? As if that was something that needed fixing!”

After taking a much-needed moment to compose himself, the Narrator said in a measured tone, “It seems you might have the credentials to be the central protagonist of one of my stories. I can see it already: The Inkblot Parable, an interactive story-filled adventure, filled with witty and insightful commentary on the nature of video gaming.”

He paused.

“Ugh, no, wait. I already did that.”

He mumbled some profanity under his breath.

The Repairman’s entire body reddened slightly as his breath became a bit heavier. Of all people, this narrator was telling him the Fourth Wall didn’t need fixing? Really? The Repairman was made for this job, and it was all he could do to not rant and rave at this… this voice telling him his lifelong career was worthless.

The Repairman eventually swallowed his pride and listened to the Narrator’s pitch. After it was over, the Repairman looked out the window, then went back into his toolbox to search for his trowel and his bucket of cement.

Before he got those out, he tossed out an inner tube, a 6-pack of brand-free soda, and a sign that said “You did? Do tell.”