"Please proceed to the heart of the tragedy."
"It all began when I found him arched up one morning, writing by himself—with difficulty, it is true. His first message to the world was, 'I hold that the supine viewpoint is seldom downward!'"
"I don't see how he could stand up on end to write for very long, even with such a magnificent philosophy to bolster him."
"What a terrible pun," Jean groaned. "He couldn't stand up very long at first. But I saw he had talent. I gladly learned the skill of holding him upright in a relaxed manner so that he could express himself on paper. In no time at all, he had written what was to be his first, sensational, best-selling shocker, Naked Bellies in the Grass."
"That does sound sensational."
"Not for snakes. He neglected to mention his characters were snakes. I Fang You Very Much followed swiftly afterward and was just as successful. Mothers were amused with its lispy title and got it for the children."
"Sounds like a story with some meat in it."
"Yes! Something you can get your teeth into. However, his next offering, A Snake Pit Full of Love, was by far the topper. It was banned in Boston."
"You haven't mentioned anything tragic so far," she observed. "In fact, you have made a pot of money."