[ CW ] Make a bittersweet story out of a joke .

I knew her only as Mary Ann, though I suspect that was not her real name. She was all at once playful and somber; upbeat yet lonely. She was a whirlwind that blew me away. And she left my life as quickly as she'd entered it. 
 
 I remember her with both fondness and frustration. Have you ever known someone who is such an impetus in your life that you feel you will forever be in debt? What if that person was every bit as aggravating as they were sage? 
 
 Me, I'm glad I met her. I'm proud to say I knew her and loved her, in my special way—Mary Ann was something you *experienced*. I will forever miss her. 
 
 She was taken too soon. God, fate, karma—whatever you want to call that infinite beyond, that unstoppable force—does not take fairly. It is not something we can ever reconcile as human beings. All we can do is ask questions, the answers to which are complete nonsense in the grand scheme of things. How many nights have I startled myself awake thinking, *Why? * Why, Mary Ann? Why did you have to cross the road?? 
 
 I only hope that someday I will see her on the other side.
