"Y'know what guys," Mike interjected fanning out his cards just dealt to him by Micky. "This is the first All Saints' Day we're not driving home from some scary castle after a Halloween gig."

"Yeah, that would be implied by your statement a few weeks ago when we were playing card," Micky stated.

"Well, I'm just glad it's all over and there really *is* no ghost in our house," Peter commented.

"You can say that again," Davy concurred.

"I'm sorry, did you not hear me the first time?" Peter asked curiously. "I mean, I can say it another time but..."

"So Mike," Micky interrupted, breaking off Peter and saving his dignity, "I think you owe me an apology about not believing me when I said there was a ghost in the house."

"I think, my good friend," Mike began, "the *that* was implied when I was quivering in fear the night before."

"Yeah well, at least now I'm inscaritable," Micky stated smugly.

"Fist off, I checked and that's not a word," Mike began, "and second, it doesn't matter anymore. You got rid of Mr. Furrly and now we won't have any problems 'til Christmas."

"Why, what happens at Christmas?" Davy asked.

"Y'know, that ghosts of Christmas Past and all them come around," Mike said. "You didn't know that?"

Everyone through in their chips for the tally and began to put on their poker faces. Micky through in two red and the other's followed.

"So what do you suppose happened with Mr. Babbit?" Peter asked.

"I really don't wanna know, Shotgun," Mike answered tossing in three blues in the pot.

"Well, we all kept to our sides of the bargain," Davy said. "Mike did absolutely nothing and Micky got scared plus, we had a ghost."

"So then what was the bargain?" Micky asked.

Davy paused. "I forgot."

"Hey Mick," Peter broke in, "how much are reds this game?"

"Five blues," he answered. "And blues and eight whites except after 5:30 when it's ten."

"Hey, I'm wearing white socks today," Davy said. "Doesn't that mean I get three more blues for every red?"

"No, that's on weekends."

"OK, my watch is on my left wrist today," Peter added, "and it's the afternoon of a half moon. That means I have to have a three pair to get an extra blue, right?"

"No, that's only in the winter solstice," Micky said. "You get an extra white for today. Oh, and you had to have brushed your teeth at 8:47 this morning too."

"Shoot, I knew I forgot something today," Peter exclaimed.

Mike, merely chuckling to himself looking at his cards, knowing he had nothing--unless it was the third Wednesday after his birthday and it was raining, then he would have had something then--put down his cards and walked silently away following Micky's example mere weeks before. The others continued discussing and did for the rest of the night.

The End