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WOUNDED RHINOS, SHAPE-SHIFTERS, CHARACTER ASSASSINS, AND OTHER BULLIES

You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.—ARISTOTLE

ON WHAT TURNED OUT to be Sam’s last day at his job, his boss, Bernard, a stout man with tree-stump legs, a broad, glistening forehead, and a jutting jaw, sent all employees an email reading “Assemble immediately in the company lunchroom for a motivational speech.” When the employees gathered, Bernard stomped in as though he was putting out small brush fires and instructed the Human Resources manager to hand an envelope to each employee. He then ordered the employees to open their envelopes.

As Sam read what was in his envelope, a printed statement listing ...

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