from chapter 44:He wanted to organize a symposium. The topic: What was wrong with Hunter Flanagan. A long panel discussion or maybe several nights at a round table old girlfriends momentary distractions and newer interests badges with names scrawled in Sharpie translucent cups of water microphones stationed every other seat Eileen would say he got too clingy too fast too overwhelming but she knew him when he was so young could that be his excuse for falling in love so quickly so recklessly next up the first Dewey she would say Hunter Flanagan just wanted me when it was convenient for him he couldn’t disagree though he felt bad for how he treated her she was so naïve didn’t deserve to have her first experiences be so unpleasant he was sorry he’d handled her so roughly what would Hilary say she would say he wasn’t serious enough or too serious pretended to love her when he didn’t really stayed with her when he didn’t want to be with her just because he didn’t want to hurt her but wasn’t it worse for her in the end than if he had just gone away when he first had the chance why did he fuck with her head like that Kate would say Hunter is great everything I’ve ever wanted in a guy he reads he appreciates art he’s not obsessed with cars or fashion I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him she was like that such a fatalist it wasn’t what he wanted but had he learned any more since Hilary about how to say what he really was thinking to a girl he was seeing not really some guest appearances by girls he made out with in high school they’d say he was a good kisser but never returned phone calls Simona what would she say he wondered if she ever thought about him these days was probably so mired in tattoos and pot or maybe she’d returned to heroin maybe she’d forgotten all about him. They’d hypothesize and argue but eventually realize they’d gotten nowhere that they’d never get anywhere and have to go home agree to disagree plan to fight it out the next year and return to their hotel rooms take a swim at the pool and go home. He knew even less than they ever did about why he behaved as he did.
http://www.amazon.com/Week-You-Werent-Here/dp/0972336346/
