"It's easy," the nurse said. "Lesson Eleven."

"Lesson Eleven," the father said.

"Lesson Eleven, Paragraph Two, Axiom Seven: Once one dismisses the rest of all possible worlds..."

Then, in a high-pitched monotone, the other cartoon boy, the father's son, sang:

Then one, finds this is, the best of all possible worlds!

The two boys sang together:

Once one, dismisses, the rest of all possible worlds,
Then one, finds this is, the best of all possible worlds!*

"Whatever," the cartoon father said. He picked up the spoon and scooped up a mouthful of creamed corn.

STOP. REWIND. PLAY.


*Lyrics from Candide: "The Best of All Possible Worlds"; lyrics by John La Touche; music by Leonard Bernstein. Copyright © 1990 by Amberson, Inc.

"Bullwinkle's Eyes" copyright © 1998-2002 by Tom Hartley.