Death

The question is without stooping to the inanities of the paranormal, is there communication after death? Can you get a last word in? On a practical basis let's say you have an a date with a famous writer who has been an idyl (not idol) forever and as is wont to happen as time goes by he or she dies. If he's someone like Stephen King (who has gotten a special dispensation to "report back" which will allow him to write one novel tentatively titled Death--following his New Yorker short story, "A Death") you may have a chance to get a word in edgewise before they step off the High Dive. However in most cases that final conversation is going to end  up in the equivalent of the dead letter box. But there are ways and there are ways. Icarus learned about flying the hard way but if you could engage with the birds who begin their mad chatter  before dawn, you'd likely find out a little something about it. Have you ever met a mortician who was mortified? The answer is probably no. They've seen it all.

read the review of The Kafka Studies Department in Booklife (PW)

and listen to "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne