Playlist for the Dead

Everyone might pretend to care now, but it was too late.

“You need to get out more,” Rachel said. “And won’t your girlfriend be there?”
“We haven’t exactly formalized our relationship,” I said, but I blushed anyway. So annoying.

If there’s one thing I learned from the playlist, it’s how important listening to people can be.

“I think we need to focus on the lives we’re living now. The dead live on in our memories. And our dreams. I dreamed a lot about my mother after she died, and I still do. Good dreams, and bad ones too. But I didn’t mind even the bad ones. It made her still feel real to me.”

way. I’d always thought people who started relationships online were nuts, but now I wondered if they knew something I didn’t. There was something so pure about it,

I missed him so much I finally didn’t even feel bad thinking about it; I just sank into it, let it roll over me in waves

after metaphorically falling off my stool and picking myself up off the filthy linoleum floor.

I dreamed a lot about my mother after she died, and I still do. Good dreams, and bad ones too. But I didn’t mind even the bad ones. It made her still feel real to me.”

They were like this at first, flattering each other a little, both wanting to make it clear that there was something there but without having to say it too openly.

I liked the idea that she was assuming we’d have more conversations, that we would eventually be able to talk about everything.