I had lunch with Kristie on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Kristie was killed in a head-on car collision.

We ate together in Chinatown that day, which was our favorite place go. This time we went to a little seafood place I like that she hadn't been to yet. She ordered some sort of steamed greens with rice, and I got their excellent deep-fat fried, hot-n-spicy calamari. We shared food off of each other's plates. She loved the squid. It was great to share it with her.

The squid is dried and salted, then rehydrated immediately before it is cooked. It is served in a big heap, still sizzling faintly, and liberally sprinkled with chopped hot peppers. Definitely clears your sinuses. It's my favorite thing to order there, and I couldn't believe Kristie and I hadn't been there yet.

While doing research for Entropy Press, I discovered that salt was totally key in Biblical times. Not only was it a condiment, but it was strewn on sacrifices, rubbed on newborn babies (Ez 16:4), and considered a safeguard against demonic influences. Also, and more significantly, there are many Old Testament references to the concept of a "covenant of salt". Eating salt with someone means to be bound to that person in loyalty. This applied to spiritual and material relationships. In all likelihood, it has its origins in the Arabic belief that eating with someone represented friendship.

How poignant, then, that the last time I saw Kristie, we ate together, and that salt was so central to the meal. Without knowing it, we partook in a tradition that has roots going back thousands of years. And for us, it was all about just having a good time.

I think to myself, if I had known that would be it, would I have done anything different? Is there anything I would have said? There was no bad blood between us, certainly -- nothing to apologize for. I feel like we were "all set", actually. And that's the lesson I chose to take from this event -- "we know not the day nor the hour" so you've got to be on good terms with your friends and yourself as often as you can. You wouldn't want to regret your last moment with someone else, or with yourself.

Moral of this story: Have a good time eating salty food with friends !!

Jeremy David Stolen