He first noticed it when he was about six. He'd taken two nickels from his mother's purse.

"Jonathan, were you in my purse?"

"No, ma."

"What's that?" she said as the overhead fluorescent flicked.

"The ceiling light."

"You didn't go in my purse for any reason?"

"No, ma; I told you."

The light flickered three or four times but stayed on.