I need Kerouac’s words. “All you do is head straight for this grave, a face just covers a skull awhile. Stretch that skull-cover and smile.”

there’s a girl, next to me on the train, reading about the socialist worker.

Smile indeed. Even as you find yourself entangled in your daily routine of deadlines, coffee, and television shows. One day, I’ll free myself from empire building of minutiae and distract myself with more art, music, literature, and video games.