It’s sunny and quiet in Lygon St. The hour before lunchtime and I swing into my favourite Butcher shop. A traditional Italian butcher, nothing shrink wrapped or packaged. I sometimes flirt with the idea of becoming vegetarian, but probably not this week.
“May I take a chicken fillet, one chop and two pork and fennel sausages?”
“Is that it?” he says.
“Yes, that’s it for today.”
“Do you live alone?”
“Yes”
“What happened to your husband?” Funny he assumes there once was one.
“He died.” I say, one hand flying up involuntarily and landing gently over my heart. Tears ready, instantly present without warning.
“How long ago?”
“Six years”
“…but you always seem so happy” the butcher says.
“I am happy, I have a beautiful life”
A beautiful life, it’s a familiar phrase I used it often more than six years ago and it popped out unexpectedly today, in the butcher shop. It’s true, I do have a beautiful life.
You only get one life. There’s no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it’s over… it’s over. Dreamless sleep forever and ever. So why not be happy while you’re here?
Peter Krause as Nate Fisher, Six Feet Under
I ask about the butcher’s family and the clocks start ticking again, the sunny day continues.