Hector and Virgil are the fraternal twins and the co-proprietors of the Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast. Over the years, the brothers have recorded the day by day goings-on in their inn. The result is this Bedside Companion, a gumbo of peoms, formulae, letters from guests, trivia, receipts, lists, sundries and notions, charms and incantations: textual relaxant that can be taken in small doses by a reader looking for a minute or two of diversion before surrendering to Morpheus. The words are meant to amuse and distract.