Just enough to get through a day without feeling broken.

Enough to smile more than cry.

You’re a hard dude to shake, though.

If you were here you’d be nodding your head like, damn straight I am.

I mean, it hurts like hell, but you do what you gotta do.

You try your best to go on. To catch up with all the life you let slip away, all the life stuff you ignored because . . . because you were too sad to care.

Otherwise the past will tie a tether to your ass, and trust me, you don’t want that anchor.

You’d never have that problem, though. You were always so carefree.

Mom called you the Duck, you just let everything slip off your back.

Ha, including some shit you shouldn’t have, but you heard enough of that from Mom over the years.

So, you wanna hear something wild?

I mean, HELLA wild?

Hold on to your fitted, because I’m telling you, you ain’t ready for this, but.

I’m basically halfway to you. Wherever you are. If you’re anywhere.

Because it turns out I’m dead.

Surprise, right?

No one was surprised more than me, trust.

You wanna know how it happened?

I was trying to be what you were.

A good person who doesn’t let an opportunity to do what’s good, what’s right, pass by. Be a person of action, right? You beat that shit into my head real good, ha.

How am I standing in front of your grave if I’m dead, you ask?

Brilliant question, Dad!

I’ve been resurrected. They call it reanimation. I don’t know. Whatever.

So, basically, I get a stay of execution. I’m still on my way to a pretty grave. But I get a few more days to travel there.

So.

Make room, man.

You can’t be hogging space like you used to hog the couch. All spread out like nobody else wanna sit down and watch TV, haha.

I miss you.

I love you.

I’m sorry I didn’t say that more.

Honestly, I don’t think I ever said it.

So, I take it back, okay? Forget you heard it.

Pretty soon I’ll just tell you in person.

Okay?

You’ll have to show me around, show me the ropes.

They got a PlayStation there?

Maybe you’ll finally give me a decent game, though I doubt it.

And I don’t wanna hear no excuses neither.

None of that double-or-nothing shit you always trying to pull after I mop you.

So, you got a day or two to get ready, okay?

’Cause I’m coming, Dad.

I’m coming.

Ha, wherever you are, they aren’t ready for you and me together, I know that much. There’s no way.

It’s not even close.

Barrantes men reunited again.

Sometimes I imagine—”