After a very, very, very long time all of the various splits realized their predicament and they all became One again, whereupon, the whole cycle was started from the top. Aqualung gave her a long stare and said after a minute:

"Many years before the troubled times, I heard a similar tale from a lady that looked a lot like you, but hers had a few variations; She said that every human being gets to be a star for a few eons, than maybe an alien from some distant Solar system, and after that a God or Goddess for a few eternities and maybe, like a Rabbi's hat or a rat or something. Finally, we all become one being for all time. And then, no being for no time and so on and so on."

"I wonder who thought this up." said Paul.

Nosering and the teenager said goodnight and left together while the Lady was saying:

"I told it was old; there are probably hundreds or maybe even thousands of variations on this subject. Hey Paul, why don't you sing us something?"

Aqualung offered the last beer around and when it was declined, he took a good long swig out of it saying:

"Well, here's at least one good thing that the politicians didn't manage to take away from the people."

"Can you play with me Aqualung?" asked Paul.

"As long as I don't have to sing - what's the song and in what key?"

"I don't know about keys, but it's called 'Wicked World' and he started strumming.