smarmy
[smahr-mee]
adjective
excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc..
the emcee with the smarmy welcome.
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If there was one thing Chuck never thought he would grow to hate, it was beautiful women fawning on him. If anything, that was the one thing that he thought he would always enjoy. He knew better now though. Now he just wished they would leave him alone.
Every waking moment of his day he had to deal with them. Most men would envy him for all that. He really did seem to have everything most men wanted. Or at least thought they wanted.
His eyes glazed over as he looked over today’s group. Obviously, all of them were beautiful, and all dressed to capture the mind, and other things, of any man. They showered him with all matter of flattery and praise. Everything he said got him nothing but agreement. They told him how clever and insightful he was. Whenever he did anything physical, he was told how strong and energetic he was.
And all of it was hollow. He had learned that long ago. Not one of those women meant anything they said. At least, not really. Maybe on the surface they at least thought they did. But after meeting so many of them, he knew that none of them cared about him. What he thought. What he could do. And he was getting sick of it.
Then his eyes caught on something. A woman in the back that was immediately out of place. He was pretty, of course, but no more so than any of the other assembled women. If anything, was rather plain by comparison. And she was dressed to show off her figure, just as all the others were. What stood out to Chuck was that she looked positively bored.
She was not praising his every word, laughing at every bad joke, or flattering his every action. In fact, she seemed like she would rather be anywhere else. Sure, it could have been a ploy by whoever sent her. Something different than all the others that would be immediately noticeable. But looking at her, he got a sense that she was supposed to be acting like all the others. Showering him with empty flattery and praise.
Chuck ignored her. For now. To keep up pretenses, he could not play favorites in public. That would just cause problems. Politics was one of the things he hated most about his position, second only to the empty compliments and friendless existence he was forced to endure. But in private? That was another story entirely. It would be stranger if he did not play favorites behind closed doors. He would call on that woman when all the others went home to report their failure to win him over.
He had no designs on her other than to speak with her. He needed to know why she did not act like the others. Why she did not attempt to curry his favor with such platitudes. And maybe in doing so, find something he had missed dearly. A person who would tell him the truth without all the fluff of the courts and courtesans. He really hoped so.
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More people in power need someone to tell them "no" more often. It's never going to happen, but it'd be a great addition to the staff of anyone with more money than sense.
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