“Where’s the stopper?” he said.

She looked at him. “The what?”

“The stopper, the stopper.” He was moving as he spoke, looking around the sofa and tables.

“You mean the television clicker?”

“Yes, the clicker, the remote, where is it?”

“Here.” She handed it to him. As he muted the television, she said, “Why’d you call it the stopper?”

“I had to stop from hearing that commercial,” he said, sinking back into his chair with a sigh.