Hall of Infinite Doors
"Buttermilk should be easy," you say to yourself. "I just need to find a tent specializing in dairy." After searching for a bit, you find a tent whose only signage consists of a hanging glass cow backlit with a series of narrow green lights. This must be it!
Stepping inside, you find yourself in a surprisingly dark and musty-smelling place. You see a few tables lined with bottles and pewter jugs. A thin gingerbread man is scowling at you from behind a sad-looking cheese counter in the corner.
"Well?" he says. "It's almost closing time. What can I get you?"
His demeanor is so cold that for a moment you forget what it was you came for. Consulting your list, you read aloud, "I need buttermilk. The super-silky kind."
"Over there," he says gruffly, pointing his finger to another table lined with an assortment of jugs and bottles. He doesn't bother to help you as you puzzle over the unlabeled containers. You identify what you think is buttermilk due to its slightly sour smell. You hope it's not just sour milk. You can't be sure if it's super silky or not and you're afraid to ask for any more assistance. You can almost feel the burn of the man's eyes in your back.
"I think this is what I need," you say hopefully, bringing the bottle to the cheese counter. To your surprise, the man says,
"Should I just charge this to Mrs. Gingerbread's account then?" How did he know you were sent here by Mrs. Gingerbread? Not one to conceal too many of your thoughts, you ask him this very question. His face quickly darkens and he is nearly growling when he says to you,
"Mrs. Gingerbread is a great fan of buttermilk, particularly the super silky variety, as she likes to call it". He actually spits on you as he takes pains to emphasize the "s" in "ssssilky". He stares sourly at you.
"Have you known Mrs. Gingerbread long?" you ask, hoping to reach good terms with this mysteriously ornery man.
"Mind your own business!" he snaps. "Good night!"
You bewilderedly take the flask of buttermilk that the bitter gingerbread man has poured out for you and leave his shop. What an unpleasant individual! You are glad to be back outside.
It has begun to snow, and the day is slowly darkening. You'd better hurry up! What should you look for next?
Stepping inside, you find yourself in a surprisingly dark and musty-smelling place. You see a few tables lined with bottles and pewter jugs. A thin gingerbread man is scowling at you from behind a sad-looking cheese counter in the corner.
"Well?" he says. "It's almost closing time. What can I get you?"
His demeanor is so cold that for a moment you forget what it was you came for. Consulting your list, you read aloud, "I need buttermilk. The super-silky kind."
"Over there," he says gruffly, pointing his finger to another table lined with an assortment of jugs and bottles. He doesn't bother to help you as you puzzle over the unlabeled containers. You identify what you think is buttermilk due to its slightly sour smell. You hope it's not just sour milk. You can't be sure if it's super silky or not and you're afraid to ask for any more assistance. You can almost feel the burn of the man's eyes in your back.
"I think this is what I need," you say hopefully, bringing the bottle to the cheese counter. To your surprise, the man says,
"Should I just charge this to Mrs. Gingerbread's account then?" How did he know you were sent here by Mrs. Gingerbread? Not one to conceal too many of your thoughts, you ask him this very question. His face quickly darkens and he is nearly growling when he says to you,
"Mrs. Gingerbread is a great fan of buttermilk, particularly the super silky variety, as she likes to call it". He actually spits on you as he takes pains to emphasize the "s" in "ssssilky". He stares sourly at you.
"Have you known Mrs. Gingerbread long?" you ask, hoping to reach good terms with this mysteriously ornery man.
"Mind your own business!" he snaps. "Good night!"
You bewilderedly take the flask of buttermilk that the bitter gingerbread man has poured out for you and leave his shop. What an unpleasant individual! You are glad to be back outside.
It has begun to snow, and the day is slowly darkening. You'd better hurry up! What should you look for next?