# Chapter 21 Performance Check

- `UNPERFORMED` — keynote cadence — strongest counter-candidate considered: `"The door stayed half open. The cheek stayed bare ground."`; it survives because the parallel structure names two concrete painting decisions, not a staged inspirational swell.

- `UNPERFORMED` — mission-statement phrasing — strongest counter-candidate considered: `"I'm done being the route"`; it survives because it is Theo's concrete boundary after a catalog route, not brochure-purpose language.

- `UNPERFORMED` — applause-line endings — strongest counter-candidate considered: `"He did not put it in a crate"`; it survives because it is a literal negative action that blocks the romantic-grand-gesture failure state.

- `UNPERFORMED` — ceremonial wrap-ups — strongest counter-candidate considered from final 150 words: `"walked home through the cold with his keys in his pocket and both hands empty"`; it survives because keys/hands/freight are the chapter's concrete pressure objects and the sentence stops on non-delivery, not blessing.

- `UNPERFORMED` — service-desk tone — strongest counter-candidate considered: `"If you'd rather not, I understand"`; it is exposed as Theo's old smoothing reflex by "before he could take it back," not endorsed as polished sensitivity.

`REVISION ORDERS`: none.

`OVERALL: UNPERFORMED`.
