"I haven't the foggiest notion." He put down the spoon. "Tell me, nurse... Stephen... whoever you are..."

"It's Stephen, Dad," the cartoon boy said.

"Whatever. Tell me, why are you always so fucking cheerful? What's there to be happy about?"

"You don't know?" the nurse asked.

"No, Stephen, I don't know. If I knew, Stephen, why the fuck would I be asking..." He took in a deep breath. The cartoon boy and the cartoon nurse waited for him to finish.

"No, sorry," he finally said. "Sorry, guys, sorry. I don't know." He looked over at his son, then he looked back up at the nurse.