"Mommy, why did Mister King stop telling jokes?"

"Sweetheart, he just ran out of them, that's all. He could no longer tread water in the sea of misery in which he had chosen to work. He came to violate his Prime Directive; he came to harm those he loved the most: his own audience. He fizz-led and-popped; he ratt-led and-knocked... He turned down the lights, went into the cellar, and powered down --to wait for the man who fixes things, 'chawt-thah... chawt-thah...' "

Fin.