1.

Before I met Tendon, pretending to be sincere was my most accessible trait.
I smiled past pain and anger with a frequent noncommitable urgency.
Breathe once internally, that last gap for air between your ribs and your stomach-take one swallow-and look the stranger in the eye...
stare intently on them (make sure you look like you're listening)
nod your head once,
open mouth
answer
close mouth.
nod your head one more time
and
smile.
Being polite was never necessary,
staying silent was key.
And I did this, for 5 and a half years
as a Front Desk Agent for one of the biggest hotel chains in America.

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