I met Matt in the park for lunch today. The sky was like asphalt. I found him sitting on a bench with three coats on and a tall boy in one of his hands; miller light.

“On the way over here, as I was crossing the street, a bus came screeching at me like it was going to hit me. And I just stood there, I was fucking willing it to drag me under its frame and scrape me across the pavement until I looked like bloodied newspaper. What does that mean, Sam?

“You’re looking for truth in a paper bag, Matty. I can’t tell you what you don’t already know.”