How does Amy Hempel use imagery in In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried?

The main character in "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried" is the unnamed narrator who relates the story in first person. While paying a long-overdue visit to a dying friend in the hospital, the narrator muses about her shame and guilt in neglecting a friend in need. Though the narrator seems aware of her fear of death, her fear prevents her from discussing the topic openly. Instead, she seems fixated on grotesque images, like earthquakes and a man who dies of fright after seeing his mutilated arm.