less a letter

There's gaffers tape on our panyard spaces that have our names written on them. Mine read "Pasta." It always had, even since before I'd arrived freshmen year; the older students had decided on my nickname. Every year a new piece of tape is layered on top, again with our names. I peeled off the top piece of tape, today; some of last year's tape came up with it. As I went to leave I couldn't help but notice that some of the tape was left behind with only one letter fewer. Past.