in a moment of desperation 
			 
			
		
		
		
		“Wait,” he said. “That’s not a word.” 
 
I looked down to where, in a moment of desperation, I’d played zixic on a triple-word-score space. 
 
“Uh, sure it is.” 
 
“What’s it mean?” 
 
“It’s sort of like…quixotic, but with more…” 
 
“Bullshit?” 
 
I laughed out loud. I’d never heard him swear before. 
 
“More zeal. Hence the z.” 
 
“Uh-huh. Use it in a sentence.” 
 
“Um…’You are a zixic writer.’“ 
 
“I don’t believe this.” 
 
“That you’re zixic?” 
 
“That you’re trying to cheat at Scrabble.” He leaned back against my couch, shaking his head. “I mean, I was ready to accept the whole evil thing, but this is kind of extreme.” 
		
	
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
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