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           hmmmm."Withoutseemingtothinkaboutit,heplacedhishandbackinmine;Iheldittightlyinbothofmine.Helookedatourhands.

           "That’samazinglypleasant,thewarmth."Hesighed.

           Amomentpassedasheassembledhisthoughts.

           "Youknowhoweveryoneenjoysdifferentflavors?"hebegan."Somepeoplelovechocolateicecream,otherspreferstrawberry?"

           Inodded.

           "Sorryaboutthefoodanalogy-Icouldn’tthinkofanotherwaytoexplain."

           Ismiled.Hesmiledruefullyback.

           "Yousee,everypersonsmellsdifferent,hasadifferentessence.Ifyoulockedanalcoholicinaroomfullofstalebeer,he’dgladlydrinkit.Buthecouldresist,ifhewishedto,ifhewerearecoveringalcoholic.Nowlet’ssayyouplacedinthatroomaglassofhundred-year-oldbrandy,therarest,finestcognac-andfilledtheroomwithitswarmaroma-howdoyouthinkhewouldfarethen?"

           Wesatsilently,lookingintoeachother’seyes-tryingtoreadeachother’sthoughts.

           Hebrokethesilencefirst.

           "Maybethat’snottherightcomparison.Maybeitwouldbetooeasytoturndownthebrandy.PerhapsIshouldhavemadeouralcoholicaheroinaddictinstead."

           "Sowhatyou’resayingis,I’myourbrandofheroin?"Iteased,tryingtolightenthemood.

           Hesmiledswiftly,seemingtoappreciatemyeffort."Yes,youareexactlymybrandofheroin."

           "Doesthathappenoften?"Iasked.

           Helookedacrossthetreetops,thinkingthroughhisresponse.

           "Ispoketomybrothersaboutit."Hestillstaredintothedistance."ToJasper,everyoneofyouismuchthesame.