I was at the edge of the ocean today. I was alone for a moment, looking out at the water, the waves, the shades of blue meeting to form the horizon.

A vision of the the late Jeremy Blake appeared before me, his back to me, walking straight into the water until I couldn't see him anymore. Then, as if waiting for just the right moment, a song by Beck started in my head.

Put your hands on the wheel
Let the golden age begin
Let the window down
Feel the moonlight on your skin
Let the desert wind
Cool your aching head
Let the weight of the world
Drift away instead

Moments later, looking down, I saw sand, periwinkles, sea glass, and water rushing around my feet. My son's voice bringing me back outside from my waking dream, my own head, back into my own life and away, for the time being, from ghosts of people I never knew but whose stories I have never been able to shake.

Another great quote from Roberto Bolaño's novel Amulet:

For a moment, with a sinking heart, I thought he was going to tell me about an ex-lover. We all have an old love affair to talk about when there's nothing left to say and day is breaking.