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News item: The last week of original episodes of Mister Rogers’
Neighborhood
will air in August 2001.


Fred Rogers enters his "house" through the front door.
He sings "Won’t You Be My Neighbor," eyes misting.
He takes off his "work clothes" and puts on a sweater (smart money says it will be red).
The universe begins to contract in a reverse Big Bang.
Fred zips up the sweater, takes off his dress shoes and replaces them with sneakers.
Distant galaxies explode.
Fred feeds his fish.
Fred pastes pictures in a Final Episode scrapbook.
He sings a song called "Final Episode Scrapbook," the tears flowing freely now.
The outer edges of our solar system are obliterated—first Pluto, then Neptune, then Uranus.
Accompanied by incidental piano music, Fred cuts out little construction paper stars.
Oceans boil. Volcanic infernos rage.
Fred sings "It’s Such a Good Feeling."
He is thrown to the floor by an earthquake.
The fish tank shatters. That weird stoplight shatters. Picture Picture cracks and emits a human scream.
In the Neighborhood of Make Believe, frenzied mobs storm the castle. Chanting gibberish political slogans, they rip King Friday’s head from his body, realizing for the first time that the monarchy is a puppet regime.
Fred’s mind begins to expand, opening new doors to perception.
He suddenly finds himself in Korea, in an Army helicopter, looking down at Mr. McFeely who has spelled "Goodbye" on the dirt with hand puppets.
Fred joins in a group hug in the WJM newsroom with Mary and Lou Grant and Handyman Negri.
Fred wakes up in bed next to Suzanne Pleshette and Purple Panda.
Fred falls out of bed to the floor, holding his throbbing head. He becomes aware of his entry into other realities—television realities that are not realities at all. He understands the great truths of existence and becomes jolted by visions of stellar destruction, the eradication of all life in all neighborhoods. He struggles to his feet, staggered by the discovery that he is the center of existence, a conduit of infinite energy, the stabilizing force in space, matter, and time.
He wills himself back to the Neighborhood of Make Believe. All is ashes. Blood pouring from her ears, Lady Elaine pleads for the release of death. Daniel Striped Tiger gnaws on Bob Trow’s foot.
Fred waves his hand and the entire universe is restored. He announces that he is never leaving the neighborhood. He promises that everyone is special and that he’ll always be our friend.
Everything will be all right forever.


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