Mary lay back on her front porch. Reginald occupied the rocking chair he had dragged there from the book store. He was lounging in the chair upside-down, his pure white hair brushing the porch as he rocked back and forth. His mouth hadn't stopped running for the past three hours and seventeen minutes. Mary had stopped listening after twenty minutes. "Reginald," she said suddenly.
"—but Ears had—what?" he asked, falling out of the chair, his orange frock coat tangling over him. "What did you say, Mary?" he asked from within his coat.
She helped him untangle himself. "Stop talking for a bit," she said, lying down again. "Lie down and let the Realm have a chance to talk for a moment."
The Hatter slowly lay down on the porch, head to head with the Pirate. He waited twenty-seven seconds, then—
"What am I listening for?"
"Reginald!" Mary scolded him. "Lie still! Good Disney…"
They laid in silence for several minutes, listening to the Realm. The wind was blowing gently through the trees of the Tulgey Wood behind the cottage. Crickets were chirping in the fading light in the yard. The rapid fluttering of wings signalled the presence of Never Fairies and Sparrow Men dancing through the air, on their way back to Pixie Hollow and their beds.
"Now, Reginald," Mary sighed. "Isn't this lovely?" There was no answer. "Reg?" Still no answer. Mary sat up and turned to him. He had fallen asleep and began to snore. She smiled. "What am I going to do with you, Reg?" She laughed quietly. "Silly Mad Hatter."