The Popular Depression is a book I wrote in my first year of college.

It was inspired by a cigarette pack on a coffee table that I noticed at a house party.

My eyes were drawn to the Health Canada warning on the box of cigarettes.

I think the statistic about tobacco-related deaths was supposed to be the scary one. But, for some reason, I was more alarmed by the fact more people died by killing themselves than by getting into car accidents.

I never did anything with the book I wrote. Looking back, some of the amateurish writing makes me cringe. But, the concept behind The Popular Depression is an important theme for us to think about.

Here is the thirtieth chapter from The Popular Depression.

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Chapter 30

Liberty wipes tears away from her eyes, opens her diary, and begins to write.

February 27

I will always remember you, Ethan Tate
And I will always question your tragic fate
I loved you so much, more than words can say
But you gave up on me, on us, and I lay
Here in my room, all on my own
Why’d you leave? I will never know
You messed up Ethan, you gave in too soon
Don’t you remember how life was last June?
Those talks we had on our walks in the park
The kisses we shared, in the night after dark
I hope you realize that you made a mistake
And you are to blame for all my heartache
But I’m sorry you suffered and I do feel bad
For anytime I hurt you, or when you were sad
I wish I could go back and kiss you goodnight
Rather than start such a meaningless fight
Which made you so sad and even depressed
Looking back on it, I probably should’ve guessed
But I didn’t realize, for you’d never show it
Life was your paper, and you were the poet
But you stopped writing; you left a blank page
You called it quits, at such a young age
Was it that you were really so scared?
Or was it that you had never been dared
To keep on pushing, not give into the threat
And live life each day, without a single regret
But what’s done is done, and its time to move on
I’ll never forget you, don’t get me wrong
You meant too much, you had a heart made of gold
I’ll remember our days until I’m ninety years old
But even if I someday make ninety-seven
I’ll still wish that I was with you in heaven
For on that day when the two of us re-unite
It may somehow make all of this seem alright

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Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29