Charles Joseph Albert is the author of three novels, seven poetry collections, and three collections of short stories. His poetry and prose have appeared in various places around the web, most recently in Short Edition, the Kelp Journal, the Lowestoft Chronicle, and the Thieving Magpie. His current project is a modern Catalan reimagining of eight works by Russian masters. This story was inspired by Tolstory’s “Master and Man.” He can be found at https://medium.com/@charlesjosephalbert and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7671406.Charles_Joseph_Albert