NOW’S THE ONLY TIME

“Cemeteries will soon be a thing of the past.” She wasn’t known for making philosophical remarks. But this was interesting. Surrounding eyes encouraged her. “Yes, as more and more people get cremated and have their ashes scattered everywhere…” “You can do that?” – Interruption – “Yes, it’s legal now.” The thought wasn’t resumed. One could have assumed the sentence was too long to be picked up again, but no. That was it. (And they could all conjure in memory trips to some hallowed ground as children, in periodical turns, and the trees and the stones and dragging feet on pebbles and grass.) The question would have been asked: but what’s going to happen to the dead? It wasn’t. And not because nobody cared, but because nobody even thought of it. Of their own situation after… No, only now. Now’s what matters. Now’s the only time.