“What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“Okay. Talk.”

“You might want to watch your mouth.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s better. No one really understands, you know.”

“Understands what?”

“How anyone can get to this point, how things can go so far off course.”

“Why don’t you explain it to me.”

“Don’t patronize me. Try to keep me talking and distracted. Try to connect with me so I won’t kill you. Don’t try it.”

“Okay. I’m sorry. I just… Don’t shoot me.”

“I told you, I just want to talk.”

“But the gun…”

“It’s just to make sure we have some time alone. Don’t want to be interrupted too quickly.”

“So you aren’t going…?”

“No! If you keep asking me, I might change my mind though.”

“Okay.”

“Now, where was I…?”

“You were saying no one understands…”

“Oh yes. People whose lives are okay could never understand how things could get so bad. If they could understand, they wouldn’t have okay lives. Nobody really understands desperation until they are desperate. It must be a law or something.”

“Maybe if you tried to explain. Maybe someone… Maybe I could understand?”

“I told you not to patronize me.”

“I’m not! I swear! You can put the gun down. I want to try to understand. I mean it.”

“… I almost believe you.”

“You should.”

“Well. Let me try to explain.” With that, he raised the gun to his own mouth and pulled the trigger.