Dori Seda and Lester Bangs both die from catching the flu and overdosing to ease their symptoms. But if they hadn't died, they would have met in a cafe in San Francisco. Dori would have become interested in Lester because of his status as a popular rock and roll journalist, and Lester would think Dori's cartoonist job was cute. They would have a difficult dating period, lose all their money, and decide to get married and settle in Kansas. Neither of them became successful, and their marriage is abusive and unpleasant. Lester would die of a heart attack later on. After all that she and Lester had built together starts to drift away, Dori would be visited by a vision that tells her that her life with Lester wasn't grand or meaningful, but it was better than not having a life at all. And Dori would accept that. But none of that happened, because both Dori and Lester had died of flu and overdose before even meeting each other.