The Ghost of How Happy We Think We’d Be
From Reasons for Leaving:
We wake up, red, pale, soft, in the room where I spent my teenage years. Amanda in a transparent purple shirt. Red quilt and NOFX poster. Air conditioning blasting. I am leaving to move across the country for grad school and she and I are breaking up. She says, “I don’t feel done with you.”
I have to cash a check at Wells Fargo, and it is the first day of Wachovia becoming Wells Fargo, and we are the first customers. All of the employees, in their matching red Wells Fargo shirts, cheer us when we come in.
We go to 7-11 so I can pick up ice for the cooler. The cashier compliments my t- shirt, which has a panther’s face on it. My mom got it for me on a trip to Belize. I thank him and he says, “So, you believe in devils, or…?”
Justin also spent last night at his parents’ place, in his old room. He says a ton of flies got in his room, even though the windows and doors had been closed, and he hadn’t left any food out or anything. He has no idea where they came from.
Continue reading here.
The Tusk 
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