For Amanda

His whole job was to make the 
deceased look more
alive.  He made up and 
dressed up their 
bodies until people were more
comfortable staring Death in the 
colored face.
As if, somehow, the make-up and 
the clothes could
assuage their sadness and 
Death could become more
personable.
But that was his whole job.
And every time another 
death drifted through the
door, he died a 
little bit more
himself.
Until all he had 
left was a little 
cosmetic soul full of
absence.  
And make-up just 
couldn't cover it 
up
anymore.