Response to Mona

Mona, what an interesting idea you have brought up!
This feeling of "sonder" has been one I have questioned my whole life, sitting in the car and watching other people pass by, and looking out the window in New York City observing the endless stretch of buildings before me. Being in a bustling city like New York always drives me to feel the true impact of all the individuals that coexist around me. This feeling is something that has always intrigued me. The idea that so many people, all over Earth and perhaps scattered throughout the universe itself, have their own stories, goals, jokes, and experiences. Everyone is an individual, and everyone is the protagonist in his or her own novel. It can truly make you feel small, to realize that you are not the only one who has this complex network of memories stored inside your head; that everyone around you has an individual consciousness.
When I am driving, or just walking about, I often look up at a window and try to imagine what that unseeable person is doing. Where he or she came from; what he or she wants. This is usually a great way for me to come up with characters for my short stories. It is also a frustrating practice, since one can never really come to know another's story, and is trapped as the main individual of his or her own life.
I completely agree that this is something Sal is finding hard to deal with in his life. Until he accepts that he cannot fully know anyone but himself, he will continue to feel lost and alone.