Illustration by Steve Boaldin, The Oklahoman, 2005

I appear to be the lone holdout on this little experiment of ours. Maybe the others are smarter than I am.

Day number two was a reversal of day number one. My mischievous brain apparently wanted to outsmart itself, de-placeboing the placebo.

I felt nothing from my 12 sprays, six in the morning and six in the afternoon, apart from a possible stomach ache. I guess my brain decided it wouldn’t react this time, knowing that it was bamboozled the day before.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I imagine my neurons look and talk like cartoon slugs. Imagine a slow drawl — how a slug would talk — and you’ve got the idea. As for the vitamins, they are French — think Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau.

Neuron: (Looking up, tired) What are you doooooing?

Vitamin: (Assuming a Fighting Irish pose) Trying to infiltrate you.

Neuron: (Yawning) I know what you’re up to. Goooooo awaaaaaaay. (Looking back at the electricity crackling by) I have work to doooooo.

 Vitamin: (Annoyed) Harrumph. I am valuable and a beautiful, complicated chemical. I am worth $7.99.

I think my experiment will end today. I’ll keep some B12 tablets around (since I already have them) until my brain forgets about all this.

Jeff Raymond, Medical Writer