Epilogue
The final story was about my ex-girlfriend, who introduced me to a world and a way of thinking of which I would have been largely ignorant had I not met her. I dedicate this decalogue to her. I wanted to end on a hopeful note, and I hope I have succeeded. I may have been born sarcastic, but I do not necessarily see this as an obstacle to being optimistic. I have never thought of irony or even certain kinds of cynicism as polar opposites to optimism. All are central components of human nature that constantly cross over our constructed borders between bright and dark. Simply put, I believe that positive and negative exist, but the boundary between the two is ever-changing.
And thus I end this philosophic speculation. Many thanks to Phil for providing this forum for free expression and experimentation, and allowing me to venture into the world of creative writing.