“Now that you’re not young anymore, do you still fall in love?” asked Yuki.

I had to think about that one. “Difficult question,” I said finally. “You got any boy you like?”

“No,” she said flatly. “But there sure are a lot of creeps out there.”

“I know what you mean,” I said.

“I’d rather just listen to music.”

“I know what you mean.”

“You do?” she said, surprised.

“Yeah, I really do,” I said. “Some people say that’s escapism. But that’s fine by me. I live my life, you live yours. If you’re clear about what you want, then you can live any way you please. I don’t give a damn what people say. They can be reptile food for all I care. That’s how I looked at things when I was your age and I guess that’s how I look at things now. Does that mean I have arrested development? Or have I been right all these years? I’m still waiting on the answer to that one.”