What if life could be this way? Only the happy parts, none of the terrible, not even the mildly unpleasant. What if we could just cut out the bad and keep the good? This is what I want to do with Violet - give her only the good, keep away the bad, so that good is all we ever have around us.

I looked at my reflection in the rearview mirror. Some lipstick would go with this truck, I thought.

Right before my eyes, I could see my life going away from me and there was nothing I could do.

Who cares for Algebra?Who delights in solving math?I only want to live my lifeAlong the creative path.

We are all alone, trapped in these bodies and our own minds, and whatever company we have in this life is only fleeting and superficial.

Hope you're keeping the dust out of your eyes and your feet off the ground.

I remember running down a road on my way to a nursery of flowers. I remember her smile and her laugh when I was my best self and she looked at me like I could do no wrong and was whole. I remember how she looked at me the same way even when I wasn't. I remember her hand in mine and how that felt, as if something and someone belonged to me.