As we walked across the parking lot, Emmett clutching the swollen plastic bag, a thought suddenly occured to me.

"Uncle Em, what are you going to use that giant licorice rope for?"

He just smiled.

"EW! EW, ewewewew!!!" I pressed my palms against my eyelids in a doomed attempt to press out the image that had just scarred me for life. "Oh, GOD, ew!"

"Don't ask a question if you don't want the answer," Uncle Em murmurmed quietly as I continued with my exclamations of disgust.

I pulled the door open, reluctant to be in the same vehicle with him, and stepped in.

Just wait until I showed Dad this.