Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick slides the MetroCard through the turnstile and we hear a train approaching and it's early Sunday morning so I better hurry because who knows how long it will be before another train comes through. He passes the card to me but when I try to slide it through, the machine reads Insufficient Fare, because Nick must have just used the last value of the card.

"Fuck!" I say.

"Fuck!" he says.

Nick puts his hand on mine from the other side of the turnstile. He says, "Don't worry about it, just jump over."

I hesitate even though I know my wavering could cost us the approaching train. If I make this jump, then this is real, he is real. I will have broken the law for him and that will bind us together forever, outlaws, like Bonnie and Clyde. And look how that worked out for them.

"C'mon, Norah," Nick says. I hear his urgency, and once again, I think, Oh, poor Nick. I mean, I think I am basically a cool girl, but I am also a pain in the ass. I know this. It's like he has no idea what he's setting himself up for. I should just call the car service for myself and let Nick go.

"Norah?"

If I do this, it will be like jumping into the middle of the mosh pit. Dangerous. Exhilarating. Terrifying. It's only a fucking turnstile, but what if I don't make it to the other side. Some people never make it out of the mosh alive.

The deafening screech of train brakes announces the train is in the station.

Nick says, "Are we in this or not?"

To throw myself into the breach of our great divide will be a leap of faith.

I grab hold of his warm hand. Deep breath.

Ready.

Set.

Jump.

The Acknowledgments Playlist

TO MARTHA AND REAL NICK

1. Tina Turner-"The Best" (for Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Lisa Grubka, and Katie Glick)

2. Ray Charles-"You Are My Sunshine" (for Alicia Gordon and Bari Zibrak)

3. Lucinda Williams-"2 Kool 2 B 4-Gotten" (for Lorene Scafaria)

4. Belle and Sebastian-"Wrapped Up in Books" (for Jack Martin)

5. Prince-"Nothing Compares 2 U" (for Joe Monti)

6. Elvis Costello-"Alison" (for Allison Wortche)

7. The Cure-"Pictures of You" (for Melissa Nelson and Isabel Warren-Lynch)

8. Louis Armstrong-"A Kiss to Build a Dream On" (for all the good people of Knopf)

9. The Beatles-"Paperback Writer" (for our dear author friends)

10. Julie Andrews-"The Sound of Music" (for our loving families)

11. Rufus w/ Chaka Khan-"You Got the Love" (for Stephanie and Al)

12. Kylie Minogue-"Can't Get You Out of My Head" (for Billy and Nicolicious)

13. Jens Lekman-"You Are the Light (By Which I Travel into This and That)" (for Nick)

14. Kelly Clarkson-"Miss Independent" (for Anna)

15. Q and Not U-"Wonderful People" (for Martha)

16. The Magnetic Fields-"How Fucking Romantic" (for Nancy)