“He had a skull and crossbones label on him, but I drank his poison nevertheless and loved it; now I needed an antidote.”

“I was a fool, alone, preparing to do what every fool did at such times—I was going to a bar to drink myself smart.”

“You’re going to listen to me, and for once you’re going to hear what I say and not read between lines that aren’t there.”

“He had a skull and crossbones label on him, but I drank his poison nevertheless and loved it; now I needed an antidote.”