8. You should’ve seen us that Monday, closing up the store, when we first found out you were gone. Well, we couldn’t do nothing except huddle on the porch and drink ourselves into the dawn. You should’ve seen us that summer as we all, one by one, went to pieces over stupid love songs. The candles grew dimmer and the gin lost its taste, so we took a deep breath and held on. I remember smelling your hairline and you smiling into my cheek in the last booth of the Lazy Star. Last night I walked past there on my way home from work. It’s just plywood now. It’s the ghost of a bar. You should see me these days, girl. I’m in bed by 12 and praying at the break of the day. I’m still shouting down the patrons, still cutting through the wires. It’s really not as bad as they say, as long as you keep cooling my shoulders. Keep pushing me on. Keep tagging my shadow. Sweetheart, so long. Thanks for sweating beside me and for that Christmas kiss. Thanks for laughing my ass off on a couch. And when I wake up in the morning and stare down the alarm, thanks for shocking me up and shoving me out. Please keep cooling my shoulders.