i had this good friend for a long time. we met in a weird place and during a weird time, and all that, and sometimes people would ask us how we met, as people tend to do. and i’d say, “oh, i saw her looking at me from across the room, and i thought, ‘whoa! what a babe. and she’s staring right at me!'” and she would always say something like, “ew! i definitely was not. i was thinking about how gross you were.”

then one time i was visiting her in new orleans, and she introduced me to her new boyfriend, and he of course asked us how we met. i said something like i always say . . . you know, jokingly, “i could tell she was wondering if i had a girlfriend or not.”

i have always remembered her response: “no, ryan, i was wondering if that inky forcefield of rotten unrelenting listlessness was, in fact, emanating from you.”

inky forcefield! that’s good. i miss you, buddy. i hope you’re ok, wherever you are~