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   The other day I met a rather queer young man on my way to the clubs. He was a fine and well dressed man with pearl white spats, a black high hat, and a pair of gray overalls a top a white shirt. But I'll say that it wasn't his cloths or his somewhat pale skin that got my attention, it was his smile. Such a-such a happy smile, he looked like… a happy man. He looked at me as we walked toward one another and he tipped his hat and said. "Oh, good morning to ya, Billy, and how is this fine day treating you?" I thought it was strange when he spoke. Very strange actually, but also v-v-very… happy; it was strange because my name is Jared, not Billy and it was also night not morning. It wasn't even a fine day either; it had been a rather stormy day. But I paid no real mind to that because he sounded so… cheerful about it all.
   Well I didn't want to seem rude to this smiling man, so I smiled back and told him it was treating me well… though it wasn't… anyway, as I was about to pass him he placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke with a rather toothy grin. "Do you think Margery could bake one of her cherry pies again, I do so love them?" I looked at him, his teeth shining, and asked "who's Margery?" but he just kept smiling so-so happily.
   "Why she's you wife, or did you forget?" he finally said. I pulled away a bit at this strange comment from this smiling man for my wife's name is heath-heath… no, I think it was Margery. Maybe it is, but… was it how he said it that made me think differently? I was going to tell him that he got her name wrong, but did he? No he was right so I told him he could come over to my house to see if she would make one for us.
   I led this smiling man to my car, he was all too-too happy to get in, he really must like Margery's cherry pies, I could tell by how big his smile was when I saw its reflection in the window. He didn't talk to me at all as we drove even when I tried to strike up a conversation. I wanted to talk about… any going on's that he might know about, but he wouldn't give a reply at all.
   When we pulled into the drive way, Hea… no, Margery came out and asked why I was home so soon. Before I could explain the smiling men got out of the car and introduced himself with a grin. "Good afternoon Margery. I ran into Billy here and I wandered if you might have one of your cherry pies made." My wife stared at him for a moment, as if she never met him before, then she smiled and waved the two of us in. there was no pie made but she seemed all t-to happy to make one for us.
   She worked steadily in the kitchen to make the pie crust from scratch and we even had some cherries in the fridge but it turned out that we did have any of the syrup filling. She called out to us and said that she would have to leave to get some, but before she came out of the kitchen the smiling man got up and told her, "Not to worry Margery, I know an easy way to make this creamy red filling. Why don't you let me give you a hand… eheh eheheh – OH! I'm sorry, I just thought of a good joke."
   He laughed again as he closed the door to the kitchen and as I sat in my chair I notice his hat was on the coffee table. When did he take it off I thought but when I reached out to grab it a loud thwack came from the kitchen. "Oops, you dropped your knife there Margery. We can't have none of that now, can we?" Came a clenched voice from behind the door
   It was nearly an hour that I sat there waiting before I saw his ha-ha-happy smile come out of the door. He was holding two plates and on them was a steaming slice of cherry pie. He handed me a plate and sat on the couch. I looked at him and his eyes turned toward me, "Well, Billy, seeing as it's your wife's pie why don't you have the first bite." His grim grow bigger as I sliced through the crust. The filling was thicker then I thought it would be but I lifted the first piece and ate it. The smiling man laughed a little then took a bit himself.
   The texture was d-delight…ful. My only complaint about the first slice was that it had some strange grayish cherries that seemed rotten but he told me that he had skinned a few of them to give it some quality. After our slices were gone he quickly went to get us some more. "You seem to have had a busy day so let me get you another piece." He said. I asked if Margery was having some but he didn't answer.
   In all I think I had four slices before the smiling man stood up, took his hat and put it on then tipped it, "I think I should go now" he said with a leer. I was about to get up and show him to the door but he waved at me and said, "Oh, and before I go I want you to remember, Billy, just keep smiling and everything will get better… eheh eheheh… geeehehe – another joke, well… tootles" he wiggled his fingers in another wave then closed the door behind him and left, still smiling and I felt like smiling too, so I did. I sat down and smiled…

   "how long have I been smiling?"