Even the late afternoon's low sun shining off the snowy ground was fading behind the blinds when the call came through. Reaching for the next cigarette, I ditched the Bourbon - my nerves told me this was gonna be a long one, like the nights with the dames you wish you'd not started.

Yeah, sure was. Bin a good run said Frankie Fullmember, my confederate, but the shit's hit the fan, buddy. Bit of the slippery stuff, darn snow over the fields, the views over the fells, yeah all good stuff. Plenty good feeling, tricks yer into thinkin' the good times are gonna last.

Then the drop, and baby it always comes so hard. Seems that, down the station, they'd bin gathering to debrief on the case, when news comes in this broad's missin'. Didn't catch the name 'cos he was babbling as he was spillin' it, but suspicion was someone had interfered with her skirt, or something. Musta bin a rough neighbourhood, I thought Anyway the dame'd not bin seen for a bit. No one could savvy how she's taken one of life's wrong turns, but she'd lost her way all right. I told Frankie to cool it, yeah we'd seen some bad times me an' him, but if we pulled together then we'd see this one through. Retrace steps I said, send the scouts out, we'd quarter the area. Ten cents to a dime she'd not be far off.

Half an hour later seems the broad had just stepped off the planet for a bit. That's when the world closes in, when the headaches start. Back on the Bourbon, gonna be a long one but hell you need the help. Think you no-good punk, where's she gonna be? Think like the dame, what's her move, where's she at?

And after an hour, the babe turns up. Shoulda known, hundred yards from the station, back where it all started, she picked up the wrong trail like a bloodhound following a fox in a circle. Got half way round the whole thing before she savvied.

I shrugged. "Frankie boy" I said, "Ain't that jest like a dame?" Or maybe someone else said that, by then I'd seen the bottom of a few glasses come 'n' go and it was all gettin' a bit of a blur.

Back at the station, Frankie boy says "OK what style you want this one in?" "Marlowe" says Lurchie. You got it, big boy.

"Silly Old Bear" said Christopher Robin. "What were you doing? First you went round the spinney twice by yourself... and you were just going round a fourth time."

"Wait a moment" said Winnie-the-Pooh, holding up his paw.

He sat down and thought, in the most thoughtful way he could think. Then he fitted his paw into one of the tracks...

"Yes" said Winnie-the-Pooh

"I have been Foolish and Deluded" said he "and I am a bear of no brain at all".

"You're the best bear in All the World" said Christopher Robin soothingly.

"Am I?" said Pooh hopefully. "Anyhow" he said, "it's nearly OnInn time"

And off they went.