Why can't I ask the Gnome Enthusiast about his fable?

I tried asking the Mystic Fairy for a fable and she gave my sim one,  but it required the solving of a fable from the Gnome Enthusiast first before I could solve her fable.  So I sent my sim to meet the Gnome Enthusiast.  I found him at his booth but everytime I was going to ask him about his fable he would shut down his booth....even though his hours were clearly posted and it was in the middle of those hours.

Eventually I lucked out and caught him but then there was no option to ask him for any fables at all?