We All Want Impossible Things

by Catherine Newman

If you’re ever sending anyone flowers, you should know that carnations and mums last forever. Lilacs and irises are basically dead by the time they arrive. Roses can go either way. Hydrangeas go quickly, but on the sly—they still look pretty, even after they’re dry as paper.

“You drive with your hazards on for no reason. You are not an optimist.”