"Sorry, I didn't mean to overshare," Stein said, leaning in to take a look. "I was just trying to explain. And you did ask, pretty much."

He peered down onto the slide, his eyebrows quirking as he saw the spines. So the tongue could flay someone just with a slap, it looked like. Beautiful.

"Like I said, I understand why he left, and I don't blame him. We're still friends, if we ever were." He lifted his head, his glasses glinting. "I have to admit I'm a special kind of crazy. And that tongue is a marvel."