I'm in the classroom from that episode

of The Outer Limits.

It's nondescript, and I walk up to the alien,

a skinny, green, bipedal reptilian wearing the

Grim Reaper's black cloak.

I ask him as important a question

as I've ever asked anyone,

and I'm as confident as I've ever been

in my life that I'll get the answer

that I want—that I need ...

I feel my mind making up the answer

and feeding it to the alien,

who smiles and says it to me matter-of-factly.

I feel vindicated.

I knew it was always true ...