Why, I said. Because preparing is not experiencing. Pre-living is not living. I will be sad today and tomorrow, a week from now, a year from now. I will be sad forever. I thought you said you took forever out of your dictionary. Once upon a time, I said. You put it back for me. A dictionary is not complete without the word forever, is it? Nikolai said. All words are indispensable, don’t you agree?
