英文短篇故事（纽约）540 Give Me Some Elbow Room

Lucy loves to attend Broadway shows in Times Square. She sees many of the same theater-goers regularly. One of them puzzled her. She told her friend, "I've seen this man at half a dozen shows. At first, I didn't pay him any mind. But over time, I started noticing something. He's always by himself. And I do mean 'by himself.' Nobody ever sits near him. Even when the theater is sold out, four empty seats encircle him. I can't figure it out. How can anybody be that lucky with no-shows?" Sally asked, "Does he have a white goatee and big ears?" Lucy nodded. Sally said, "I've read about him. He's not lucky; he's rich. And he hates for people to bother him during a show. So he always buys five theater tickets! That way nobody blocks his view, nobody kicks his seat, and he gets both armrests all to himself."