"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I went to your house the other day to see Nan, it still smells like you. Your hat and jacket is still hanging by the front door like it has been since the day you put it there. I walked in through the door waiting for you to greet with that big goofy smile and a big hug, but I wake up from my memory and there’s Nan, sitting down with your favourite coffee mug in hand touching it like it’ll bring back the touch of your hand. She looks at me and acts like it doesn’t kill her inside because you’re not there, I hate when she does that. We go out to your favourite place in the world, the garden and look at the potatoes, I helped Nan set all the vegetables, she says I had the same stupid look on my face as you did when you were digging, she also says you would’ve loved to see me in the garden poppy, and I know it’s true, I regret never going out there with you while I had the chance, I never went out there with you because of the fear of getting dirty, little did I know that’s what i needed. When I got out into that garden I seen your old walking stick I found on the beach for you, standing in the dirt with a note with something you always said to me “Every flower must grow through dirt” next to it grew a daisy, my favourite flower, it was then that I realized the reason you wanted me to come out with you was to show me that getting dirty is part of life, as I set down the shovel and picked up your walking stick it was then i realized, I wasted all this time being scared of the inevitable. Even after you left me Poppy you were and still are my greatest teacher, and I know if you could you’d ask how the potatoes tasted, and they were great. I love you Poppy.