WHAT is that thing in my bed?

I was gone for about five nights, but I came back Tuesday night. So last night, the lovely Carol had an out-of-time experience. She woke up, sure that it was one of those nights I was in Minnesota. And she saw, in the half-light, a... a thing next to her. She turned on the light.

"Wha...?" I said, in one of my more intelligent pronouncements.

"Oh, it's you!" she cried, relieved.

I didn't say much. Maybe I managed, "uh, yeah?"

But before I could even form the thought, "You were perhaps expecting the easter bunny?" I fell asleep.