"

    "Yup,thatsalltherewastoit."Idraofthebeer.Nowallsixsweregone.Sixpull-tabslayiraylikescalesfromamermaid.

    Ofcourse,itwasnttruethatnothinghadhappenedasaresultofthebakeryattack.Therewereplentyofthingsthatyoucouldhaveeasilyputyeron,butIdidntwanttotalkaboutthemwithher.

    "So,thisfriendofyours,whatshedoingnow?"

    "Ihavenoidea.Somethinghappened,somenothingkindofthing,aoppedhangingaroundtogether.Ihaventseenhimsince.Idontknowwhathesdoing."

    Forawhile,shedidntspeak.SheprobablysehatIwasnttellihewholestory.Butshewasopressmeonit.

    "Still,"shesaid,"thatswhyyoutwobrokeup,isntit?Thebakeryattackwasthedirectcause."

    "Maybeso.Iguessitwasmoreihaherofusrealized.WetalkedabouttherelationshipofbreadtoWagnerfordaysafterthat.Wekeptaskingourselvesifwehadmadetherightchoice.Wecouldntdecide.Ofcourse,ifyoulookatitsensibly,wedidmaketherightchoiobodygothurt.Everybodygotwhathewahebaker--Istilltfigureoutwhyhedidwhathedid--butanyway,hesucceededwithhisWagnerpropaganda.Andwesucceededinstuffingourfaceswithbread.

    "Butevenso,wehadthisfeelingthatwehadmadeaterriblemistake.Andsomehow,thismistakehasjuststayedthere,unresolved,castingadarkshadowonourlives.ThatswhyIusedthewordcurse.Itstrue.Itwaslikeacurse."

    "Doyouthinkyoustillhaveit?"

    Itookthesixpull-tabsfromtheashtrayandarrahemintoanaluminumringthesizeofabracelet.

    "Whoknows?Idontknow.Ibettheworldisfullofcurses.Itshardto