“I don’t have any real idea of her,” I said. “I don’t even know what I’m losing.”
Emma looked out the window. Tears came in her eyes. “You will, someday.” she said. “I guess you will, if you ever find out anything about what’s normal. I’ve always known personal things were desperate. Personal troubles. I’ve always know it. Seeing you last night almost destroyed me. I can’t even help you. It’s going to be hard for me even to be your friend now.”
“I know,” I said.
—Larry McMurtry, All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers, Liveright, 2018 (1972)