Katie Mather

Screaming.

Things I Miss, In No Particular Order

Half of the outlets didn’t work and we had a cupboard that specifically housed a nest of spiders that we never properly dealt with and one roommate used a baseball bat to smash our smoke detector when it kept going off and I’ve never been more sad to leave a place.

We’re Okay Now (I Think)

I spent two weeks without any alcohol—and my head stopped hurting in the morning and I didn’t throw up in any kitchen sinks and I didn’t have to make any phone calls to apologize and I didn’t eat a spring roll while sitting on the floor of my shower and I didn’t ever at all think it was an appropriate idea to FaceTime the guy I used to like three times at 3:34AM. I just felt fine.

Wednesday Night

I do this horrible thing to myself where, whenever I see the time and/or date, I instinctively check: What was I doing an hour ago? 24 hours ago? A month ago? A year ago? It’s a NIGHTMARE of a compulsive tick that makes me dwell on the past for several moments.

I Can’t Date You Because I’m An Artsy Cool Boy

This is as equally devastating for you as is it for me, but we just can’t be together. Art is driving us apart—and by art I specifically mean mine, because I can’t remember what you told me you did, but I’m an architect. I just need to focus on my craft. And also sleep with other people.

Under Different Circumstances

I think about how she smiles without her teeth in all of her pictures and you used to make fun of me for how loud my laugh is, which just shows how fundamentally different the reasons for why anyone would and should be interested in either of us are.

I Can’t Wait For The Point When I Realize None Of This Matters

To say I’m surprised by how much changes even within just a year is so stupidly cliché and unnecessary of me. I feel like I sometimes write as if I’m the first person to ever experience very simple and common revelations and it drives me nuts because of course every living and breathing human being could tell you, yeah, things change a lot in a year. They’re supposed to. I’m not special.

Why Am I Always Thinking About Death?

I’d say I think about death in an incredibly self-absorbed way, because it usually comes up whenever I consider whether or not what I’m doing is actually Important or Worthy. This happens often. I am always stressed.

I’m Scared Of My Teeth Falling Out (And Other Non Sequiturs About Control)

I think I’ve been dreaming about my teeth falling out because I am constantly surprised when I remember how people can exist without me. I don’t think I’m necessarily a vain person—I am just so easily obsessed with other people that it sets me back a bit when I realize that’s not really how things work for everyone else.

I’m Dropping Out Of Real Life For The Summer

One of my favorite things to do (and coincidentally everyone around me’s least favorite thing I do) is to drop off the face of the Earth unexpectedly and without notice of when I’ll resurface again.

A Series Of Things I Can’t Remember Anymore

Your apartment had a very distinct smell that I remember almost crying over during our last day sitting around on that super shitty couch (remember how the back of the couch was broken?) and you were taking post-its off the wall and I felt like my head was blowing up like a balloon because of how hard I was keeping it all together.

Okay, But What If I’m The Villain?

I do not believe in signs or stars aligning or fate or whatever, but when I came back from California, my other friend was filling me in on her sort-of-ex’s actions from the 10 days I was gone. And instead of suggesting we curse him or something, I just blurted out: “Oh my god, that’s what I do to other people too.”