_part of a simpler web

When he moved to the city, Preston made friends with a ghost. The ghost was great fun, and the perfect friend to have in a new city. They hung out a lot, took the train out to the shore then turn around and come back just because. They went bar-hopping, snuck into movies, hit the theater and bar districts when Preston had a little money to spend. What Preston liked doing the most was going for walks down by the waterfront where the ships go by and people shuffle around muttering themselves.

The ghost kept Preston out all night. That was ghosts do, really; they stay out all night. They’d meet up after work and hit the town together. Preston caught the ghost up on how work was going, this new girl he met in the building, funny stuff that happened on the commute. Then the ghost would tell Preston how it used to be in the old days. Preston liked that part the most.

The ghost would say that back in the old days, the gods came by a lot. They’d come by and just walk right in and you were all ‘Heyyyy! Take a load off!’

He’d tell Preston how you used to be able to just walk out into the river and wait until the gods came downstream and hand you a fish, already cooked.

He'd tell him how the sunsets behind the skyline nowadays aren’t bad, but they’re nothing like they used to be, back before the buildings jagged up the sky. He’d say that sunsets used to burn your eyelashes off they were so great. And they wouldn’t just look great either, they’d have a taste to them. He’d try to describe it, but he’d always end up saying they were like a cross between the ripest peach you ever had and the kiss of a the one you love.

The ghost would shake his head and get really quiet. Preston would be quiet too, at least for a while, then he’d suggest they go see check out that new Thai or Cajun or whatever place the ghost was telling him about the week prior. The ghost always perks up immediately, totally up for it.