. can’t ‘old ‘im...” Good let go! Didn’t they realize this is what he wanted? “ ... lmost there Halfd...” Why did they care? Couldn’t ...hey tell he had finally given up?There was pain! A white hot eruption of agony from his left arm. The hands gripped him fiercely refusing to let him again succumb to that comforting blackness. A tormented scream. Was that his voice? Waves of fresh anguish exploded from his arm as a powerful arm wrapped around his chest. Why couldn’t these people just let him. I’ll talk to her, if that’s OK.”“That’s probably not a bad idea,” José agreed. “Any ideas what songs all of you would like to sing?”“I think I almost have to do In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins,” Sticks said. “The drum break near the end is just out of this world!”“Well, if that’s how we’re going to roll,” Kim said. “I have to do Great Balls of Fire! I could do it either on keyboards or with an actual piano.”“Then I think Born to Run is my song for the guitar riff,” I said.“Given Mike’s. " That's thoughtful of you Maggie," Mandy said, feeling sadness well up a little. She leaned into Jason for support as she answered, "That sounds fine. If you don't mind, I'd like to eat light tomorrow. Just toast and coffee."I know I'll need my strength but I don't want to have much in my stomach. I just know I'm going to have a hard time at the cemetery."A cast of sadness fell over Maggie's face as she softly said, "Yes, Ma'am," and left the kitchen through a door off in one corner. Mandy. He is a good student, not one of the jocks, but confident in a quiet way. Ever since Todd’s mother passed away about 4 years ago I admit I’ve been pretty lonely. Todd has his friends now, at 17 and when the full awfulness of our grief slowly lifted, I threw myself into raising him, being there for him and didn’t pay attention to my social life. I was a good dad, an upstanding member of the local community. I’m known around these parts as ‘coach’ as I was for many years the local basketball.