Once, in high school, I embarrassed myself in front of a crush. Emerging from the school play’s pit orchestra, I was accosted by a friend with a cup of hot cocoa. He grabbed me by the front of my shirt, snagging my then-new chest hairs in the process. In agony, I smacked him on the back of the head, only for his cocoa to splash onto the dress of the school police officer. “What the hell is wrong with you?” the officer shouted. I turned to find a crack to wither into. But there she stood, the girl I just wanted to play footsie with, gaping in horror at my behavior.

We all have bad memories. Sometimes, though, those memories are dangerous to touch, like prodding a canker sore. Brendon Fong’s We Need to Talk is a dual trick-taker and card-shedder about overcoming the painful memories of a failed relationship in order to move on to something new. And it’s about as close to therapy as the format gets.

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