Robert Greene's essay, "In the Dark"

I turn the cell phone over. No one's called. I'm a bit
surprised.
And a bit disappointed.

I love the tone Robert has throughout this essay--so matter-of-fact, and yet so conversational. Like he's just sitting there, telling you the story, completely deadpan. These few lines portray that tone really well--but in addition to being short and snappy, these lines also provide the reader with a glimpse into the narrator's head. Just a flash of reflection is almost all we need. Actually, I think we get a little too much of it right at the end of the essay--I think the third essay from the end (which begins "I reflected back") could actually be cut, so that the tone seems more unified. Imagine the conclusion this way: now, we go from "In short, when I was simply a stuent" to "Back then," which, to me, seems to transition really well. And actually, I think we get plenty of reflection that way, because I think it's more consistant with the rest of the essay. But like I'm saying, I really love the tone--I'm just trying to keep it going in a smooth, slightly sarcastic (which is perfect, given the author!) kind of conclusion.