[He draws a slow breath in at that. He could counter with a question. They could go back and forth like this.]

Beyond the falsities? Your grief. I have always been -- I suppose the right term would be "put off" by the human condition, to live and love, create and die. But I've never known it so closely.

It was the first moment, however brief, that some of my convictions were tested. And I became very curious about those who could push those convictions to their breaking point.