Good-bye Forever to Mr. Pain by Robert Sheckley. Short summary

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Elroy won the handbook of self-improvement services. Using it, he became so perfect that he became nothing.

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Joseph Elroy won a directory of all sorts of services to improve a person. With his help, he could improve himself in no time and become successful, happy, rich and famous.

Thanks to the guidebook, Elroy quickly finds the perfect profession, his wife learns to tune out her emotions, and his cranky daughter is hired super nannies.

The spouses improve together, take family courses, and fall in love with each other. Eventually their daughter begins to get in their way. She is turned in to the children’s altercation.

After a while, Elroy is informed that the girl is broken and beyond repair. Joseph asks that she be sent to a storage facility.

The spouses begin to quarrel and argue about methods. Elroy sends his wife first to the remodel and then to the warehouse for his broken daughter. He reaches such facets of perfection that there is nothing left of him.