even wordier Friday

In 1999, as part of my thesis for my MFA, I wrote an essay about the death of my brother. People ask me about it from time to time, so I thought I'd post it. It was published in The Threepenny Review in the Spring 2001 issue and cited as a Notable Essay in the listings in that year's Best American essays annual (not reprinted, just cited, but that was sufficiently startling when I picked up a copy at Barnes & Noble, scanned the listings, and went "Wait a minute, that's me" ).

If you decide to read it, be prepared for it being l-o-n-g and sad, because it is.