“The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break” by Steven Sherrill (2000)

“The Minotaur sits on an empty pickle bucket blowing smoke through bullish nostrils.”

What is it that sends books about loneliness to be in a near-constant steady trickle? Here we go again.

It’s been five thousand years since the Minotaur – now known as M – left the Cretan Labyrinth and since then the immortal beast has had to find ways to make a living. He’s currently working as a line chef at Grub’s Rib in Carolina, where his colleagues – mostly – respect and like him, and are used to his limi...