Grief

A shadow bounced off the wall and slowly passed in front of the painting. Grief, the old shape shifter, the last remaining childhood friend.

Nice painting, great restoration job - the Ruby Lee you bought off of that homeless dude in front of the Warfield, right? I noticed, I was there on some business, a lot to do, but this was such a funny thing, I couldn't help catching a peek. and it 'll be mine one day.

Good Grief!

Got distracted there for a second by the cat on your lap, buddy?

How did you get in?

Through the computer, like last time.

Another memory leak?

Hehe, that was just BS. I tell that to everybody, in case you wonder, and sometimes I add that I have to keep up with technology. Which makes some people laugh out loud. The machine works fine, I can get in any way I choose, you know that.

It' been what, years, since you last visited. I'm always surprised to see you look different when Death is not involved.

Yes, years, I couldn't believe it myself. Death insists on his protocol, weird as he is, and I have tried to reason with him, told him he makes me look bad in the eyes of people, argued he should just be less formal about it, to no avail. I took to giving him nicknames behind his back, passive aggressive, but hey. You have become pretty good at keeping me out, with a bit of luck, too. Don't make that sad face, you knew I was on the way.

Sure, but...

You wanted to hang on to this one a bit longer, I get it. This dream is quite a prize. I remember how happy you were.

You must have been salivating when you realized I could not hang on to it.

Ah, some drama tonight, eh? You know full well I always get them in the end. I do appreciate that you were aware from the beginning, it almost makes we want to let you continue to have it.

No thanks, then I would need to re-learn how to let go. 

I understand, it's fine, a good choice if I may say so, and sorry again about what happened when you were just a year old. I repeat myself, but that was all the fault of Death, I really hate it when he does that to people so early, or even earlier to some.

So you said. Can I ask you a couple of questions while I wrap up the dream?

Sure, that's one, means you have one left. I'm joking, I'm taking my time, ask whatever you want.

Is there a reason for this format, this dialogue, are there other ways you interact with people?

Plenty, in some human cultures, for example, this one-one-style interaction is strongly discouraged, whenever I announce myself they'll huddle until I leave. In others, they have set rituals that allow me to talk to a person alone while they encourage asking people for assistance outside of the context of these rituals.

Man, you must love vision quests.

They are overrated with regard to me, I'd say. The youngsters are so busy out in the wild, there is generally little time for me, not discounting exceptional cases, of course, for example, you, with your history, would have had me hang around if you had ever done a vision quest. That could have been frighteningly cool, and...

Did you just glance at the envelope?

Well...yeah.

Do you want a drink? Some fresh homemade apple juice?

No, thanks, I don't want to get all sugared up like a three year old. Nice of you, but thanks, and I appreciate you never tried to numb yourself with alcohol or drugs when I'm around. I'm not judgmental, mind you, it just never works, and if you had seen the sheer amount of vomit and worse I've had to deal with, makes me shudder just thinking about it. Other animals never do that.

It's true that other animals know you, that's cool.

I don't talk much about it, lots of you humans don't get it, for a variety of reasons, and some feel less special and get all bent out of shape. But yes, some other animals know me as well as you humans, you are not much different, except, well, they don't go make movies about it or write fancy convoluted crap of the kind Death loves.  

That's hilarious...

Such an impostor, with his ridiculous cloak-and-scythe routine in Western culture and having forever poisoned some beautiful plants and animals associated with His Grim Reapiness, the bastard even managed to usurp my quiet one-one-one chat as his invention and get it into literature and film. I have to work alongside him, but it's only a small part of my job, time wise, I mean, yet I get all the blame.

Really, in what sense?

He deals only with the dear departed, a once in a lifetime deal. He refused from the very beginning to have anything to do with those left behind. He got himself written into a bunch of religions as guide to a happy afterlife, while I am stuck with bawling children and old widowers who can't eat a bite of food "because of Grief". It's not because of Grief, it's because of Death. He swoops in for however long it takes to dispatch someone, me, I have to hang around to pick up the pieces. Some people, I visit them for decades after His Grim Reapiness has appropriately starred in a bunch more movies and most nightly TV news. Ah, but don't show too much of Grief, let people be, humbug. Am I getting a bit carried away here?

You could say that, yes.

I'm sorry, I like your company ever since that early visit. You don't get depressed much, well, since you figured out the unfortunate early event. So, it's...

Can we do the envelope?

Sure, sure, back to business. You know, after all this time, I marvel at how the biggest dreams sometimes fit into a small envelope, okay, with lots of wear and tear it seems logical but it really isn't, isn't it? A dream as big as a life, and voila, it's in a standard letter envelope, what a magic trick.

Here you go.

Thank you, it was a pleasure, as always. What are you up to next? Can I leave you a token of appreciation?

More wrinkles and grey hair, pleeeeze. 

There's color, and creams, Botox if you must.

How about something great to share, for example, you gave Hem the "nada y nada, y pues nada".

Not implying we are like Hem, are we?

Get out of here.

Okay, okay, you take care, and I'll see you when I see you.