Pick the ending you want.

What’s the most likely ending? What’s the worst-case scenario? What’s the best ending? There’s a billion potential endings. Pick one.

HOW TO END A STORY ABOUT A DEAD CAT BY MELVIN STERNE 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 96

It became a running joke, Karl asking Terry, “Will you marry me?” They had known each other two weeks. They were in a Starbucks after watching Point Break and Karl looked at Terry and blurted: Will you marry me? Terry rolled her eyes, and she replied, “When the time is right.” Karl asked Terry to marry him at least once a day, every day, for more than a year.

Everybody said they made the perfect couple.

Karl was athletic and strong, broad-shouldered, with long, thick, naturally curly brown hair, and the smooth, natural, buttery tan of a man who spent lots of time outdoors running or climbing or swimming. Some people thought he was brusque, but inside he was really a softie, just not much of a people person.

Terry was smart and shrewd, but also friendly and down-to-earth. Sh…