[foobarbecue]

It's very intentional.

Great writing leaves gaps for the reader to fill with elements and interpretations from their own life. This comment thread makes it clear it worked -- amphetamine users see it as a story about amphetamines. People who care about gender thought it was a gender story. People with social anxiety see it as a story about masking.

I watch and read too much sci-fi so interpreted it more literally, thinking about how the puppeteer thing could actually work.

[Dylan16807]

> This comment thread makes it clear it worked -- amphetamine users see it as a story about amphetamines. People who care about gender thought it was a gender story. People with social anxiety see it as a story about masking.

You're making a lot of assumptions there. Just because people make a guess doesn't mean that guess is based on their own life.

And reaching as far as you need to find an interpretation is also something that happens with bad writing all the time.

[foobarbecue]

Shrug. You're right on both counts. I enjoyed the story and admired the style.