One often wonders how long one can get away with it. You do something, it is so absurd, so arbitrary, you think, someone will stop you, but no. Especially when you’re holding a gun, no one questions you in the least.
~Mr. Michaels Explanation to the Judge
The subtlest thing about him was his obtuse manner. It took a real sense of proportions to be so perfectly disproportionate. A man might blunder and insult his hostess with a thoughtless comment, but the utter assault of affronts Mr. Michaels is able to generate at a social event is next to complete. He’s a genius for it. An uncalculated word might make you a social pariah, and yet he is able to calculate the perfect series of verbal blunders to render even the most uptight, pearl clutcher at a loss. I think it is too much for the rich, old bags. Before they’re able to voice their disapproval, he’s already flung five more unforgivable insults into their face, all with that amiable smile full of plausible deniability. There’s no means for them to voice the depths of their contempt for him, and so they are silent. I invited him to all my parties.
Tale Told 