Last night I mislaid a Martini. It could not have been the first. The first one to have been mislaid, I mean. That is to say, mislaid in the history of the Martini. Even though its history, as a cocktail (wherever cocktails come from), is conflicted and, therefore, uncertain. However, I am sure that they must have been mislaid before. Well, as sure as I am of anything. Anyway, this morning I found it on a windowsill outside and there were several large (and once-formidable) ants floating in the glass. They were dead but they were smiling and I could just tell that they had died very,very happy, after their little festa.