{"product_id":"9780983713838","title":"Evening Breezes","description":"The rain fell hard on the roof of the car, heavy but hollow as I was driven to the funeral. I sat in back, alone. My friends were there but not one of us spoke. I was alone in my grief; selfishly refusing the possibility that anyone understood, or that anyone cared or could care. Somehow the rain helped, made it easier not to cry.\u003cbr\u003eIt was cold when we arrived; the kind of cold that begins in your bones. I stepped out of the car and saw a clock with no numbers over the entrance. Was that a joke? I flashed angry, but it was only a spark and it went out as quickly as it started. There was no strength in me to react more.\u003cbr\u003eA gentleman in black hurried over to me. After a few seconds and an incomprehensible greeting, the man offered me his umbrella. I didn’t think it was much of an offer considering that the stranger had been paid to usher me inside, and his insistence felt non-negotiable. So, he walked with me. I hated him completely.\u003cbr\u003eInside, a somnambulant dirge was already in progress. I sat and listened. People came and went from the podium. They praised and rationalized, and told stories from a book that didn’t relate to anything. But they were behind the lectern for themselves not for me, and not for him. The more they spoke the more I realized that not one of them had ever had a meaningful conversation with him.\u003cbr\u003eThe rest of the funeral flashed by like a storyboard.\u003cbr\u003eHugs from strangers and friends. Ushers helped me to the door. More rain and an umbrella appeared and blocked out the sky. A car, I sat in the back. Conversation, but I said nothing. Then, there was a restaurant. There was a round wooden table with a candle burning in an amber glass at its center. There were friends. There were beers for each of us.\u003cbr\u003eWe talked awkwardly until closing time.\u003cbr\u003eWe talked about nothing in particular.","brand":"Brown House Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47118960525552,"sku":"9780983713838","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780983713838_p0.jpg?v=1763887378","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780983713838","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}