"Well, I think it's time to finally introduce you to your mystery man, Paul Hodgson. In my opinion, he's the
only person that will be able to help both of us out with our tiny identity problems. You see, even though
Paul threw away the book, I have a theory that he's been secretly practicing magic spells and rituals without
me or any of his family knowing about it. He's my best friend, so I know him better than anyone, and he's the
type of guy that...er, always goes back to the scene of the crime, as it were."
"You mean he got the book back?"
"No, I don't think so. The garbageman picked up the trash the next day when the incident happened, with the
book inside the can. I saw them drive away. It's probably been incinerated or at the very least unreadable by
now."
"Then what do you mean 'go back to the scene of the crime'?"
"I think that Paul could be secretly experimenting with another book of magic spells. He's like Curious
George, in a manner of speaking" said Mister Sherman as he began to laugh quietly. "When something interests
him, he plays around and toys with it, no matter how dangerous it might be. I know that even though we caused
a lot of damage that day fifteen years ago, Paul probably rationalized that if he kept me and other people in
the dark, with the wool covered over our eyes, he would be able to study these magic spells without harming
anyone. He's very reclusive when he's working on a new project anyway. So he could have made a new book of
spells, and that book would be able to help us, you and me, figure this out. I mean, he couldn't possibly be
as big of a screw up at thirty than as he was at fifteen. Could he?"
"You don't sound like you're so sure about that" giggled Eve.
Tim giggled a bit himself. "No, but my educated guesses are almost always right, a 96% percent rate in fact.
My hunches are pretty strong, and I'd like to think that Paul has matured at least one iota since we were
kids."
Tim grinned again, and then went back to a serious face.
"Mister Sherman, if you don't mind me asking, have you ever seen a therapist for all this?"
"Well Eve, have YOU ever seen a therapist?"
Eve lowered her head slightly out of embarrassment. "My parents were talking about it."
Tim sighed. "I understand, Eve. Sorry to humiliate you. No, I've kept this a secret for a long time, but I've
always known in the back of my mind that there was something supernatural about it. The scientific literature
that I've been able to read on the subject hasn't shown me anything to dismiss that notion. I don't think I'm
crazy. There's nothing else in my life, no other episodes that could indicate that I have some neurological
problem or some psychological hang up."
"That's good. It's nice to have a kind of kindred spirit, and to know I'm not alone in this" stated Eve. "So
if you're sure that we can meet Paul Hodgson, when do we see him?"
"I can set up a date anytime after school at 4:00 P.M, if that's OK with you. It all depends on if Paul is
willing to come out of the closet or not. As a sorcerer, I mean" Tim smiled. "I can give you his phone number
if you'd like. Here."
Tim wrote down Paul's home number, and gave it to Eve.
"I think he'd be more sympathetic to both of us if he realized that someone innocent like you was affected. If
I called him, Paul would deny deny deny and act like the past never happened."
"Thank you Mister Sherman. Can I call you Tim? I'm so used to calling you Tim."
Tim smiled. "Sure thing, Eve. Um, I guess you should run along to your class now. Better late than never, you
know."
Eve breathed a big sigh of relief, and hugged her teacher and one time imaginary friend.