The Celebrants

After Alec’s funeral, the group gathers at Nepenthe, a Big Sur Mediterranean restaurant, and discuss their disbelief that he’s gone. Jordy and Jordan flirt, having only recently started a romantic relationship, and the group meditates on how much Alec would have disliked his funeral. The narrative turns to Alec’s death, as a result of a drug overdose, two weeks before their graduation from Berkeley. Marielle, who had been dating Alec, found him on the floor of the dorm lounge on her way to a morning class, and Jordy attempted CPR.

The narrative returns to the post-funeral dinner, and Craig expresses a wish that Alec knew how much he was loved, revealing that he assumes that Alec’s death was intentional. At Sur la Vie, they listen to music then go in the hot tub, where Marielle suggests that they should have their funerals while they’re still alive. They develop their pact and decide on its rules: “[I]t’s up to each of us to choose wisely when life gets really hard. We agree right now to assemble when one of us calls, no questions asked. We say nice things about you and remind you that you are loved” (47).