Staying with the one today

I am without mirth. I am miffed, mirthless.

When another is dying, the task is to stay present with them. Not to collapse into existential dread, woe is all, oh dear we are going to die.

This is true. It is what is going to happen. But now, now we stay present with the one who has the greatest certainty.

And we ask them to tell their favourite, dirtiest, joke.