Carpe Diem

Diane and I are in the Tauntaun, and the sky is overcast (but just barely). It's mid-afternoon, and I suspect we will make it to Palos Verdes by 7:30. After refueling, Diane begs me to let her drive, even though she does not possess a driver's license. I give her the keys. She pulls onto the highway, and I say this:
"Diane, I want to be clear on something," I begin, "and I want this to be the last time we have this conversation."
Diane keeps driving, but she raises her eyebrows.
"I can't handle this anymore", I say. "I have been very clear about my feelings toward you. I have run out of ways to say I love You. So this is it. You have 3 weeks."
"I have 3 weeks to do what?"
"You have 3 weeks to decide if You want to be with me. And if your answer is that you do not want to be with me, I don't want to hang out with You, ever."
(silence)
"Chuck, I can't guarantee that I will be able to answer that question."
"You have to."
"This is unfair."
"I don't care."
(silence)
"If you think you love me so much, how would you be able to just cut off all contact with me?" Diane says. "That makes me question your sincerity."
"You know how these things work," I say. "This is how these things work."
(silence)
"That is so fucked-up," she says. "I can't decide whether or not I love you just because you say I have to."
"Well, maybe You can't. And if You can't decide, that's fine. But I will take 'I don't know' as a no, because it always means the same thing anyway."
"But if I haven't been able to make that decision in 2 years," she asks. "Why do you think I'll be able to make it in 3 weeks?"
"Because You don't have any other alternative. This is it. And even if You make no decision, that will count as a decision. So, in a way, there'sd really no pressure. I'll get back to you in 3 weeks, and You can tell me how you naturally feel, and that will dictate everything else.
Diane tries to pout but reflexively coughs. She sighs.
"Okay," she finally says. Maybe 20 seconds pass. "So this is your ultimatum?"
"This is my ultimatum," I respond. "My ultimatum has been made."
"That's fucked-up," says Diane. "You're fucked-up. But...okay. I'll make this fucked-up decision to satisfy the statute of limitations on your fucked-up ultimatum."
"Thank You," I say. "You know this is for the best."

I look away. Flags, followed by a wide, sweeping right turn. I can remember this clearly, because that's when I started to think that everything in my life would improve if we drove off the edge of those fucking cliffs.