Still Life by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Still Life
Page 78
the Castle; those shares restricted in sales, by being subject to Castle rules. The Aristocrats tolerate him like one tolerates any money source; plumbing, necessary, but best left unseen.
The Aristocrat Wing
Each Aristocrat and Pynchon occupy a suite in the castle's eastern wing, a section cordoned off from the hotel proper. Their rooms are adorned with relics of past relevance; faded portraits, ceremonial bathtubs, and mirrors that refuse to reflect anything newer than 1987. Pynchon's room is the only one with Wi-Fi, though he claims it's for "research."
The Ritual of Refusal
Publicly, the Aritocrats reject all things current. They do not browse the net, read the news, or acknowledge the existence of streaming services. Privately, however, there are whispers of midnight Googling and furtive glances at trending hashtags. Willem - Alexander once asked a guest if "TikTok" was a clock brand.
Their disdain for the digital is performative, but their need for it is real. The castle's website, and/or their advertisements for hotel bookings and crime solving services are outsourced and managed by “We’llHideYou.net”; high income,