When Billy was in his old age and all of the brats had been thwacked, Klexel, a little green goblin, said to Billy: “Zekpeddel me. I’m going to miss you, bud. But my job here is done.”

“All that thwacking…” Billy said, leaning back in a recliner, flickering TV lights playing colors across his face, “…and yet… I still feel empty.”