Hank Greenberg and the unreliable narrator

We've discussed who Hank Greenberg is. I, dear reader, as you've no doubt surmised previous to this if you've spent any time at all reading the collection of dreck known as The Year of Magical Painting, Season Three, am the unreliable narrator.

And the word narrator doesn't begin to really plumb the depths of my unreliability. First there's the whole turned-off phone business, but I don't want to talk about that. I'm amazed my cable is still on.

But the real issue is this: I've been flashing around this image of The Annotated AIG while suggesting it is, in fact, the final version.



The truth of the matter is that it is not, apparently, the final image. Proof of this was found when I looked at the print I delivered to my friend the other day. It had WAY more writing on it.

Wow. Unreliability aside, how did that meeting go, by the way?
What do you mean?
You delivered the print?
Yes.
You received money?
Yes. Fifteen dollars more, in fact, than I had anticipated.
Come again?
Well, my thinking was $250, minus the 10% friends and family discount.
What did you get?
$240.
Perhaps it's some version of $250, plus $25 shipping and handling, minus the ten percent friends and family discount.
Which would be $247.50. By my count.
So you were either cheated, or tipped heavily.
Yes, although I'm not sure that fifteen bucks on top of 250 is a heavy tip. But I'm going with the latter, regardless.
Smart move. Avoid that whole bitter-taste-in-the-mouth business after the fact.
Exactly.
And the drinking?
Completely free.
How many drinks did you have?
Three or four scotches.
With a splash of water?
Yes. And all but the first featured a twist of lemon.
This is one of those Wall Street bars, right?
Yeah.
Well dressed clientele? As opposed, say, to the Peter McManus Cafe?
Yes.
Scotches prolly set you back about a dime?
Prolly.
So you, my friend, are way ahead...even with the cheating.
Yes I am. And I wrote a lovely inscription above the image.
What did it say?
It said, roughly: "Hey Joe: Half a century and never a harsh word"
Nice touch. Don't you typically charge an extra $100 for personal notes?
Yes.
Man, you were screwed!
I know. I can barely speak, what with the whole bitter-taste-in-the-mouth business.
And that guy was your friend?