Prescott's self-portrait, "Ungloved and Unloved"

Prescott, fresh off of a glove duel victory last month over a fancy-lad in a coffee shop had apparently become quite cocky and so overestimated his own skill in the ancient problem resolving art while at the same time, severely underestimating the glove prowess of his latest rival.

Details of the duel are sketchy, but apparently, Prescott left himself open for a devastating counter-strike from his opponent because of his unbridled aggressiveness at the start of the contest.

Witnesses say that Prescott, after initiating the duel by approaching Barnsworth and "demanding satisfaction," swiftly split the tense air between the two gallants with his neatly pressed dueling glove only to miss the dandy’s cheek by several inches and causing him to expose his own petite, well-groomed cheek to the humiliating smack of Barnsworth’s retaliatory strike-- a move referred to as the “folly of the flank” in glove dueling circles.

Following the direct hit made by the dandy’s lace-trimmed glove, Prescott was forced to utter the phrase that every duelist dreads…“you have bested me, kind sir, and now I must beg of you a pardon for my honorless transgression.”

Barnsworth grudgingly granted his fallen fancypants’ request and proceeded to seize Prescott’s prized handkerchief as a symbol of his victory and superior glovesmanship. Prescott was then taken to a nearby dressing room to sulk and was given a cool, damp washcloth by a fellow employee to soothe his reddened cheek.

 He is currently in the third day of a “leave of absence” from the store as he tries to collect his thoughts and bravely reconstruct his self-esteem and muster up the courage to return to the job.