We have a village “character” who frequents our local micropub. He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but otherwise a nice enough chap in a monosyllabic sort of a way, he likes his ale and generally mixes okay with everyone.
However, he also seems to have problem flatulence – by that I mean the type of fart that empties the entire pub three or four times in one evening. As Jilly Goulden might be moved to say “I’m getting notes of farmyard, volcanic sulphur and necrotic rat”. Customers and bar staff have complained about the stench and the landlord has on several occasions taken the chap aside to plead “Steve, for Christ’s sake please fart outside”. There’s a collection of industrial strength air-freshener sprays on the bar, but it’s all to no avail, Steve ignores all hints and reasonable requests, he keeps quacking away night after night resulting in an exodus of choking punters.
Some of us worry that Steve has a profound learning difficulty and that he may not be entirely responsible for his actions.
Are we being played?