Summary

In "The Monster Mash," David reflects on a visit to a medical examiner's office circa 1997. He went to gain first-hand knowledge of the intricacies and daily chores of those who deal with the dead and must inspect them for cause of death. The process was so grueling on him psychologically that he showered for over an hour every night after he returned to his apartment in order to rid himself of the day's encountered horrors.

He admits he was fascinated with death since he was a child and would dig up dead pets to see how they were decomposing. The varied manners in which the corpses met their demise also held a powerful connection over his imagination, forcing him to visualize the respective deaths in lurid detail. He writes of hanging out with the technicians who actually...