Page 3
Story: Petty AF
Otto and I shared a studio, and we often partnered to give people a more holistic experience, but we each had our own skillset and customer base. I handled the wardrobe while Otto took care of hair and makeup. While the two often overlapped, not every client needed both services.
And some didn’t realize they needed both until they arrived.
“Get the app,” Otto insisted as he started backing away. “It doesn’t hurt to look.”
I nodded, but I still waited until he’d left the office before grabbing my phone off the desk.
Once I had downloaded the MNSTR app, I skipped the process of creating an account, arguing that I probably wouldn’t need it. I just planned to look, research, maybe see what they had to offer. No big deal.
It took only a few minutes of browsing the popular categories to decide that had been a smart decision.
Spells, Charms, and Enchantments.
Hexes and Curses.
Personal Assistant.
Household Tasks.
Protection and Security.
I rubbed my temples. I had barely started, and it was already turning out to be more complicated than I’d anticipated.
I tapped the icon forProtection and Security, groaning when it loaded a new page filled with subcategories. A quick scroll revealed things likeNegotiation Specialists,Discrete Transport Services, and even something ominously labeledCrisis Containment.
I immediately navigated back to the homepage and began scrolling again. ThePersonal Assistantcategory looked promising. Not exactly what I needed, but maybe close enough.
Before I could click the square icon, however, a chat screen popped up, asking if I needed assistance. Figuring it would probably be the quickest and most accurate way to find what I wanted, I typed in my request.
USER:I received an invitation to the Legacy Gala, but I’m human and therefore need an escort.
The cursor blinked, and for a moment, I wondered if I had been too specific for the chatbot. Maybe I should have just said I needed a plus-one for an event.
MNSTR:Congratulations on receiving an invitation to the annual Legacy Gala! I understand that rules regarding human attendees can be frustrating, but I’m here to help. Can you tell me more about your preferences?
I hesitated. I didn’t need a real date, just someone to get me into the party. If they made it through the evening without crashing out or tanking my career, I’d consider that a win.
USER:No preferences. I just need a professional plus one.
MNSTR:Got it! Here are some top-rated agents in your area with experience as a professional plus-one. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.
The chat automatically minimized, and my screen refreshed to show a stacked list of six MNSTR agents, along with a photo and a short introduction. As promised, all of them had excellent ratings, and I could click a link to read some reviews from other app users.
While I told myself that appearances didn’t matter, my gaze kept straying back to the picture in the center of the top row. The male had a sort of devil-may-care look with a scruffy jaw, a mop of dark waves that brushed the tops of his ears, and a small silver stud in his left lobe.
Instead of the too-polite, professional smile seen in a lot of headshots, his lips were crooked into a roguish grin, and his dark eyes gleamed with the hint of challenge. Though he wore a plain black tee in his picture, I had no doubt he’d look amazing in a tailored suit, and having someone like him on my arm would definitely be a confidence booster.
According to his bio, he was a werewolf, a little older than me, and lived here in Circle City. He had immaculate reviews, with words like “discrete” and “comfortable” popping up in many of them.
I did peruse the other agents, just to say I’d done my homework, but truthfully, I’d already made my decision. While I still had some reservations about hiring a date from an app, I reasoned that he had the experience. Plus, I would be paying him, making this a business transaction rather than a personal favor.
Of course, I understood that didn’t make it bulletproof, but after some consideration, I concluded it would have to be an acceptable risk.
It seemed to take forever to create an account and fill out all the necessary forms, but I appreciated the thoroughness. Once I’d entered my payment information and outlined my exact needs, I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and sent the request, jamming my thumb against the screen like it owed me money.
Within seconds, I received a push notification informing me that my request had been received. Now, I just had to wait to see if he would take the job.
Only a moment later, my phone chimed with another notification.
And some didn’t realize they needed both until they arrived.
“Get the app,” Otto insisted as he started backing away. “It doesn’t hurt to look.”
I nodded, but I still waited until he’d left the office before grabbing my phone off the desk.
Once I had downloaded the MNSTR app, I skipped the process of creating an account, arguing that I probably wouldn’t need it. I just planned to look, research, maybe see what they had to offer. No big deal.
It took only a few minutes of browsing the popular categories to decide that had been a smart decision.
Spells, Charms, and Enchantments.
Hexes and Curses.
Personal Assistant.
Household Tasks.
Protection and Security.
I rubbed my temples. I had barely started, and it was already turning out to be more complicated than I’d anticipated.
I tapped the icon forProtection and Security, groaning when it loaded a new page filled with subcategories. A quick scroll revealed things likeNegotiation Specialists,Discrete Transport Services, and even something ominously labeledCrisis Containment.
I immediately navigated back to the homepage and began scrolling again. ThePersonal Assistantcategory looked promising. Not exactly what I needed, but maybe close enough.
Before I could click the square icon, however, a chat screen popped up, asking if I needed assistance. Figuring it would probably be the quickest and most accurate way to find what I wanted, I typed in my request.
USER:I received an invitation to the Legacy Gala, but I’m human and therefore need an escort.
The cursor blinked, and for a moment, I wondered if I had been too specific for the chatbot. Maybe I should have just said I needed a plus-one for an event.
MNSTR:Congratulations on receiving an invitation to the annual Legacy Gala! I understand that rules regarding human attendees can be frustrating, but I’m here to help. Can you tell me more about your preferences?
I hesitated. I didn’t need a real date, just someone to get me into the party. If they made it through the evening without crashing out or tanking my career, I’d consider that a win.
USER:No preferences. I just need a professional plus one.
MNSTR:Got it! Here are some top-rated agents in your area with experience as a professional plus-one. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.
The chat automatically minimized, and my screen refreshed to show a stacked list of six MNSTR agents, along with a photo and a short introduction. As promised, all of them had excellent ratings, and I could click a link to read some reviews from other app users.
While I told myself that appearances didn’t matter, my gaze kept straying back to the picture in the center of the top row. The male had a sort of devil-may-care look with a scruffy jaw, a mop of dark waves that brushed the tops of his ears, and a small silver stud in his left lobe.
Instead of the too-polite, professional smile seen in a lot of headshots, his lips were crooked into a roguish grin, and his dark eyes gleamed with the hint of challenge. Though he wore a plain black tee in his picture, I had no doubt he’d look amazing in a tailored suit, and having someone like him on my arm would definitely be a confidence booster.
According to his bio, he was a werewolf, a little older than me, and lived here in Circle City. He had immaculate reviews, with words like “discrete” and “comfortable” popping up in many of them.
I did peruse the other agents, just to say I’d done my homework, but truthfully, I’d already made my decision. While I still had some reservations about hiring a date from an app, I reasoned that he had the experience. Plus, I would be paying him, making this a business transaction rather than a personal favor.
Of course, I understood that didn’t make it bulletproof, but after some consideration, I concluded it would have to be an acceptable risk.
It seemed to take forever to create an account and fill out all the necessary forms, but I appreciated the thoroughness. Once I’d entered my payment information and outlined my exact needs, I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and sent the request, jamming my thumb against the screen like it owed me money.
Within seconds, I received a push notification informing me that my request had been received. Now, I just had to wait to see if he would take the job.
Only a moment later, my phone chimed with another notification.