What I mean is, right from that first time, there was
something in Tommy's manner that was tinged with sadness, that seemed to
say: “Yes, we're doing this now and I'm glad we're doing it now. But what a
pity we left it so late.

Poor creatures. What did we do to you? With all our schemes and plans?

There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.

Don’t live in regret over missed opportunities, for if you do, you will miss even more.

Look in my face; my name is Might-have-been;
I am also call'd No-more, Too-late, Farewell

I'm interested in memory because it's a filter through which we see our lives, and because it's foggy and obscure, the opportunities for self-deception are there. In the end, as a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.