Painterly empty wooden bench overlooking a distant sunset and misty hills.

Original artwork, not a still

Without Feathers

Woody Allen

It’s not that I’m afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Fear of death gets a sneaky escape hatch here. The speaker insists it isn't dread, just a wish to be elsewhere when it happens. It's a joke that turns a huge fear into a polite scheduling preference.

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