ghosts of manhattan

there’s a lady in this hotel that looks so much like a dead friend of mine I’m certain i’ve creeped her out by staring. I can’t stop myself. I’m sorry. I’m sorry lady. I got so excited. I got SO excited. I was going to get to tell her about my daughter, my son, my wife, my life. I almost said her name — my friend’s name — out loud, right as she passed me but didn’t for fear of… of the entire lobby, the coffeeshop, the bar, turning to me in unison and saying no, stupid, she’s dead, she’s been...