Dear Wigleaf,

Over the weekend, I needed a painter, so I called a few painters and spoke about a house where I do not yet live.

I could not remember many necessary specifics. How high were the ceilings, for instance; I made up a few answers, but I wasn't even sure what color I wanted. What color do other people get? I tried asking.

Eventually, I spoke to a patient painter who believed strongly in near-death experiences. We spoke for a while. He gave me his home phone number and told me he doesn't have email. The house where I do not yet live is empty and when I told him so, he said this was good news; he would not need to move or cover any furniture.  

In the house where I do not yet live, two of the rooms have green ceilings. I do not know who chose that color or why. 

"Not that it matters," the painter said toward the end of our call, "but I once knew a woman named Rebecca, and she was the nicest person in the world." For some reason, this did matter.

By the time you are reading this, I will already live in the house, but as I am writing this, right now, anything can happen. That empty house could be filled up with lots of things—many things—and those ceilings and walls could become any color at all.

Rebekah