The difference:

Sometimes it's hard to separate myself from the protagonist (of sorts) of the story. But I've finally figured out one major, major difference...or, at least, something in me has changed so that there is one major, major difference.

Sasha sees his ghost everywhere--in parallel subway cars rolling by, in the people pacing by her on the busy streets--a glimpse of blond hair here, green jacket there...

But me--I'm thrilled to be in a place with so much space, so many people, that I will likely never find him there again, and where there is always something pretty (British accent here, tousled spiky hair there) to distract me from looking too hard.