We undo these things. Come neatly wrapped with a bow on it. Tear them apart, trying to find what’s inside, he said.

Boy, that’s the truth, she wiped her forehead. Never know what you’re going to find, she said. Could be evil, could be good. You have to open it and find out.

Yeah. Open it. Hard to do that, he smiled. When we’re young, we dive right in. Both feet. No fear.

Fearless.

Yes. Fearless. And as we get older, we get…

Scared. I know. You reach thirty, thirty-five, and you’re frightened, she took a drink of her coffee.

Right.

And it stays that way for a while. Then we get to be around seventy, and we’re ready to open it up again. She lifted her cup. Here’s to us.

Here’s to us.