December 30,

2002

 You see that pond out back? The son of the man who dug it died in a car accident the month before he was contracted to begin work. All summer long, he sat out there on his dirt-moving machine, digging, and crying.

It's not any harder for artists, or writers, Jonah told me. It's hard for everybody. Artists and writers just get to leave a record that other people can read, and see.

Other people can only dig ponds.

And the ponds can't tell anyone.