I was still awake the next morning. Bullwinkle let me go to work. "I want you home by eight," he said. "Don't make me have to look for you." He told me to pick up some Pepsi on the way back. "And make sure it's Pepsi this time," he said. Then his hoof tapped ON/OFF, then RECORD.

"You forgot to load the VCR," I said.

"Don't worry about it. Just go."

I didn't go to work. I called in sick from a payphone, then I called Stephen. I couldn't talk to him; I just cried into the phone. He invited me over. When I arrived he invited me to stay overnight. I told him I had to be home by eight.

I didn't tell Stephen about Bullwinkle, who was still watching TV when I returned with a 12-pack of Pepsi. When I took it out of the bag he said, "Just set it over there," and nodded toward the armrest where the cassette had been.

As I climbed over his legs and placed the 12-pack on the armrest, I noticed a U-shaped tear in the carpet. Before I could examine it further, however, Bullwinkle lifted me up over his legs and set me on the floor to his left.

We watched the cartoon boy and the cartoon moose watch us as Bullwinkle took his first Pepsi from the 12-pack. He offered me one, but I said I wasn't thirsty.

"What else did you get?" he asked, eying the bag I still held.

"Nothing. I just bought the Pepsi."

"No you didn't. Look inside."