The ceremony was like every other funeral I've ever been to.

People given table speeches, the sounds of sniffles and sobbing, a closed casket waiting

to be buried.

I sat in the back row with my head down staring at the grass.

After the ceremony, I stuck around for a little longer.

I strayed away from the small remaining crowd and had a smoke as I dismissed the messages

on my phone.

As I put it in my pocket, I could see Casey walking my way.

I gave him a nod and he came and stood by me.

How are you holding up, Casey?

I said, better with one of those, he said, pointing at my burning cigarette.

I handed him a smoke and gave him a light.

It means a lot to me that you're here, Trev.

You're really taking me back to the good old days seeing your face, you know.

Yeah, I know.

Hell, it feels like a different lifetime, I said.

You know the truth.

As the misses, he said, exhaling a plume of smoke.

Not great if I'm being honest, I said, as I tapped the ash off of my smoke, I'm sorry

to hear that.

Don't be.

It was for the best, you know.

...