Could we have another beer?” “All right. But you’ve got to realize——” “I realize,” the girl said. “Can’t we maybe stop talking?”

“I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in.”

“No, we can’t. It isn’t ours any more.”

“I love you now. You know I love you.”

“I’ll go with you and I’ll stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it’s all perfectly natural.”

“It’s ours.” “No, it isn’t. And once they take it away, you never get it back.”

“Yes,” said the girl. “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.”

“Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” “What do you mean?” “I don’t care about me.” “Well, I care about you.”

“Then what will we do afterward?” “We’ll be fine afterward. Just like we were before.” “What makes you think so?”