Day -1: Final Farewells
Its 1:37 a.m. here. I’m a day late in leaving. I didn’t really believe I would leave on time.
DC has her way of keeping you around a bit longer than you plan on.
I first came here Fall 1993, a wide-eyed freshman at Gallaudet University. My plane touched down at National Airport (I refuse to use it’s current term, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport), and I stepped off the airplane into the hot, sticky embrace of 100 degree/100% humidity August afternoon sun.
I told myself I’d signed up for the four year plan. Graduate in four years and get back to Minneapolis as soon as the degree slapped into my hand. The fact that I hated DC the first few months I was there only served to emphasize that goal.
I stayed here 12 of the 14 years since that day I stepped off the plane and nearly melted. DC has a way of growing on you. Getting her hooks into you and you never realize how long you’ve been in her embrace until you wake up one morning and say “I’ve been here ten years!”
But I’m leaving her. I’m out of here. I’m sitting on the floor of what used to be my room. Its now just a empty space enclosed by blue walls and lined with faded brown carpet.
I’m out of here. See ya around, DC!
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