The next morning, I listened to Erik's complaints about how both my dog and I had almost pushed him out of bed. "I'm sorry," I said. "She'll sleep in her crate from now on."

I like to be lazy during breaks from college, so I stayed in my room and talked with Erik while my family was out. I'd done all the 21st-century morning routine things that one does to look presentable, but Erik had refused. I tried not to laugh at his response: "A corpse need not wash every day. This century seems far too spoiled and pretentious." Jeez, dude: I get that two centuries ago we didn't have luxuries like showers, but come on.

I put Jackie Evancho on Pandora; Erik didn't complain. Good, that was my hope: a modern artist of a genre that Erik would apreciate-or at least tolerate. I mean, at least he wouldn't scream about horrible vocal techniques or be disgusted by the "modern poetry" of pop music. I wasn't even sure if he'd like operatic pop, but maybe I could ease him in with some Andrea Bocelli. Traditional Irish music also seemed possibly safe, but pop punk was probably out; as someone who listens to everything from the Jonas Brothers to Kesha to James Taylor to A Rocket to the Moon, I'd have to keep an eye on what songs I played!

"Oh, I love this song!" I said as Jackie sang "Reflection" from Mulan. "Disney always has good stuff. They pick good composers. I think one of them's deceased now, though."

"Pity," Erik murmured. "This Jackie has wonderful potential ... perhaps this song is not quite the right range or tone for her voice, though. She would do marvelously at dramatic arias."

Sweet! The man whose story inspired Jackie to sing aproves of her! "Would you believe me if I said she was about fifteen? And that she started singing when she was eight?"

"Well, I suppose she's worked hard sinse she began ... but fifteen? She's fifteen years old in this recording?"

"Come on." I reached for Erik's arm, and tried to pull him off of my bed.

"What? Let go of me, you silly girl!" He yanked his arm away. "'Come on' where, exactly?"

"I'm going to show you her audition for America's Got Tallent. And I would prefer to hang on to you so I know where you are." And so I can have an excuse to be near you-haha, the perks of being blind.

We walked across the landing to the room where my computer was. I sat down on my excersise ball, and Erik took up one of the rolly chairs. "You should know that I was informed about all your astounding technology before arriving," he said. "I was given information on everything from automobiles to airplanes to computers and cell phones to your culture's ... interesting taste in music and fashion and your slang."

Wow-lucky his brain can absorb lots. "Good." I leaned over to turn on my monitor and pull out my headphones. "I use a screenreader called JAWS, which speaks everything I need to know on the screen. It's in a British accent and I have it talking superfast, so you'll hear that in a second. I use my keyboard," I slid it out in its holder just beneath my desk, "not the mouse. You can use the mouse if you'd like, but I might have to turn off JAWS for that."

"I really would like to see this JAWS," Erik said, sounding amused.

"Okey-dokey." I hit the Windows key, and JAWS said, "Menu: start search edit: (type text in this edit field or press up or down arrow to move through items.)" I pressed the down arrow once. In response, JAWS said, "Internet. (one of three, i.)" I pulled up Google. And then I couldn't resist asking Erik, "What do you think?" This was one of those times I wished that I could see for a split second, just to get his facial expressions. Oh wait-he was wearing a mask.

"Very fascinating! I can only follow if I concentrate, though I do suppose I'll learn to understand it quickly. ... Truly astounding, the measures the world has taken for accessibility."

"Yeah, we've come a long way...not a perfect world, but it's pretty sweet. Youtube...'Jackie Evancho audition'...I hope I'm spelling her name right."

I pretended not to notice Jackie's mention of POTO. One rule already unintentionally broken, and a major one at that. But Erik didn't seem to react to that. We finished the video, and then Erik said, "There, in that little bar on the side of the page: she sings 'Think of Me.'"

So we watched that. Hey, the rule had already been broken-just sooner instead of later. And it wasn't explicitly broken by me, either. Besides, I'd specified that I wanted my Erik to have knowledge of many adaptations.

"Amazing," Erik murmured after that video had concluded. "Simply mind-boggling. That little girl was clearly always destined for great things. And to think...my story, something I thought was a sorry tragedy...the inspiration for so many creations...the things that people have said about me...much, much later, I am an icon?"