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           Butyoumustpromisemeonething."

           "Anything."

           "Youmustpromisemenottolivetobetooold,William.Ifitisatallconvenient,diebeforeyou’refifty.Itmaytakeabitofdoing.ButIadvisethissimplybecausethereisnotellingwhenanotherHelenLoomismightbeborn.Itwouldbedreadful,wouldn’tit,ifyoulivedontobevery,veryoldandsomeafternoonin1999walkeddownMainStreetandsawmestandingthere,agedtwenty-one,andthewholethingoutofbalanceagain?Idon’tthinkwecouldgothroughanymoreafternoonslikethesewe’vehad,nomatterhowpleasant,doyou?Athousandgallonsofteaandfivehundredbiscuitsisenoughforonefriendship.Soyoumusthaveanattackofpneumoniasometimeinabouttwentyyears.ForIdon’tknowhowlongtheyletyoulingerontheotherside.Perhapstheysendyoubackimmediately.ButIshalldomybest,William,reallyIshall.Andeverythingputrightandinbalance,doyouknowwhatmighthappen?"

           "Youtellme."

           "Someafternoonin1985or1990ayoungmannamedTomSmithorJohnGreenoranamelikethat,willbewalkingdowntownandwillstopinthedrugstoreandorder,appropriately,adishofsomeunusualicecream.Ayounggirlthesameagewillbesittingthereandwhenshehearsthenameofthaticecream,somethingwillhappen.Ican’tsaywhatorhow.Shewon’tknowwhyorhow,assuredly.Norwilltheyoungman.Itwillsimplybethatthenameofthaticecreamwillbeaverygoodthingtobothofthem.They’lltalk.