The universe has good news for the lost, lonely, and heart sick.

Sugar is here, the both of us, speaking straight into your ears.

I'm Cheryl Strayed.

I'm Steve Almond.

This is Dear Sugar Radio.

Oh, dear song, won't you please?

Share some little sweet days with me.

I check my bellbyes every day. Dear Sugar, I miss Ben.

Oh, and the sugar, you see in my way.

Dear Sugar, I miss Ben.

We met when we were both hired as actors for an absurdist dining experience

that was a huge disaster. The food truck that was supposed to feed all of the patrons who had

paid lots of money to be there was in an accident. The wait staff had fevers and Ben and I were the

only performers who stuck it out. We spent a humid night two June's ago,

walking street blocks, carrying paper plates of cold pasta into the venue, trying to appease

our very wealthy and very grumpy audience. It was so horrible and so surreal that we spent

the evening laughing hysterically and finding excuses to touch each other on the arm.

Aw, that's sweet.

When we finally got out of there, we went to a bar, he bought me a drink, and I'd guessed

the exact date of his birthday on the first try. The rest, as they say, is history.

Except it's not. Ben broke up with me three weeks ago after we'd been together for a year

and a half.

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