May 12, 2020 /

Don’t Skip to the End

“Jim and Mary die. Jim and Mary die. Jim and Mary die.” Only the how and the why matter. All endings, says Margaret Atwood, are the same. 1) No longer capable of suppressing her rage, Mary sh...

“Jim and Mary die. Jim and Mary die. Jim and Mary die.” Only the how and the why matter. All endings, says Margaret Atwood, are the same.

1) No longer capable of suppressing her rage, Mary shot herself to get back at Jim. Jim drank himself to death from guilt.
2) Jim grew lonelier in old age taking care of Mary’s mental decline. Toward the end, she was no longer able to recognize him. He died of a broken heart. Mary died confused a few months after.

A story does not to teach, or even guide. It merely explains the how and the why of it all.

3) Mary received the letter that Jim died last month. She hadn’t seen him in over a decade, not since their youngest graduated. The cause of death was unknown. Mary rarely thought of Jim anymore. She died an old woman surrounded by her loving grand children. There was no mention of Jim.

The how and the why don’t always have to be revealed. Just knowing they’re out there can be enough.

4) Mary passed first, then Jim. Both of cancer. Jim held Mary as she died. He never told her he too was sick. He died with her picture in his hand.
5) The two of them laughed so hard, they died. Literally.

A story is only as good as it’s how and it’s why. Everything else is subordinate. The end is always the same. It’s over.

The end.

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