hatsuggestion."Wet.Yourenotsupposedtogoouttoeataftermidnight."Shewasold-fashiohatway.

    Ibreathedondsaid,"Iguessnot."

    Whenevermywifeexpressedsuopinion(orthesis)backthen,itreverberatedinmyearswiththeauthorityofarevelation.Maybethatspenswithnewlyweds,Idontknow.Butwhenshesaidthistome,Ibegantothinkthatthisecialhunger,notocouldbesatisfiedthroughthemereexpedientoftakingittoanall-nightrestaurantonthehighway.

    Aspecialkindofhunger.Andwhatmightthatbe?

    Ipresentithereintheformofaematicimage.

    One,Iaminalittleboat,floatingonaquietsea.Two,Ilookdown,andier,Iseethepeakofavolothrustingupfromtheofloor.Three,thepeakseemsprettyclosetothewaterssurface,butjusthowcloseIottell.Four,thisisbecausethehypertransparencyofthewaterinterfereswiththeperceptionofdistance.

    Thisisafairlyaccuratedescriptionoftheimagethataroseinmymindduriwoorthreesedsbetweeimemywifesaidsherefusedtogotoanall-nightrestaurantandIagreedwithmy"Iguessnot."NotbeingSigmundFreud,Iwas,ofcourse,uoanalyzerecisionwhatthisimagesignified,butIkuitivelythatitwasarevelation.Whichiswhy--thealmostgrotesqueiyofmyhuwithstanding--Iallbutautomaticallyagreedwithherthesis(ordeclaration).

    Wedidtheonlythingwecoulddo:opehebeer.Itwasalotbetterthaingthoseonions.Shedidntlikebeermuch,sowedividedthes,twoforher,fourforme.WhileIwasdrinkingthefirstone,shesearchedthekitshelveslikeasquirrelinNovember.Eventually,sheturnedupapackagethathadfourbuttercookiesiom.Theywereleftovers,softandsoggy,butwe