Tipsy

WALT SMILES. HE MADE IT. He’s all alone with the goblet. He laughs. He keeps laughing. Sort of like a bad guy’s demonic laugh in a movie. Then he stops. He digs into the Knickerbocker Glory Sundae. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. When he reaches the last bite, he licks the spoon clean, holds his breath—and closes his eyes. He can’t bear to look. What if it doesn’t—whoa, what’s that? Is the goblet getting heavier? Yes, yes. He peeks. Yes! There’s a mountain of fresh ice cream in the bowl!

Walt shovels the sundae into his mouth again, as if all he wants to do is get to the bottom of it, to see if it works again. He takes the last bite. And burps. And again, the Knickerbocker Glory Sundae reappears.