Alice takes her mother's dog to the vet. The dog is old and very ill, but it costs ten dollars for the exam. She asks that a courier bring a message as to the dog's well being. Ralph gets the letter while Alice is out. It says that the dog has six months to live, but Ralph, who recently had a checkup himself, thinks it refers to him. So he commiserates with Norton, going through all his failing in life and all his hard work. This part is sad, but we know that he isn't dying. The whole thing is set up well, and the letter is hilarious (unfortunately, not for the dog). One of my favorites.