Thoughts from A September Thinker

Waking up this morning I realized that it was cold. Not just cold but the first cold morning of the fall. This triggered a ton of thoughts—I’m glad I pulled out my comforter last night, I should put on some clothes, I will break in my new free jeans, I can do my kicking boxing and not pass out, I need to finally have a strong HOT cup of coffee.

But mostly what I have been thinking about is Boston. As I sit at my computer making notes for a show bible I’m working on, my head just turns to memories of the City. For the most part I don’t get very reflective—I’m more forward thinking than backwards thinking but today is a flashback…

Normally I would be breaking out my best sweater/scarf combo as I made my way across the bridge in the Public Gardens. I would be on my way to my glamorous job as Aramark’s Office manager where I would spend my shift on an old school typewriter and doing my best MaryAnn Singleton as I whirled around the office. I would follow this up with a Dunkin Doughnuts coffee (two creams, one sugar) as Deb and I smoked cigarettes on the Wall across from the Little Building.

I would then head off to debate Shakespeare’s cultural impact with my most intelligent professor, followed by a heated short story workshop with my second cutest writing professor. Then I would make my way to the Boston Hospital Thrifty Shop with Brigette and maybe Heather as we searched for artsy sweaters and cute button downs. I would start the evening with Peter down by the Esplanade as he skateboarded and I wrote poetry wondering what the fuck we were doing with each other.

I would spend the night hanging in the boys’ suite watching MTV and talking about the world with Arno, Jonathan, and Scott as Chris stormed around all self righteous—unless he was role-playing ‘Vampire’ with John Walsh. Or maybe I would be hanging in the common room watching as Chris Garcia practiced wrestle moves as Tim Davis mouthed off to the side.

Maybe later I would go with Lil Jen to Curious Liquids and hang out in the basement talking crushes and writing as people played board games and smoked but if I wasn’t doing that then I would be out with Becca, Shanee, and the rest of the girls as we made our way to the Blue Diner while Neddy taunted the drug dealers. And I would top my night off with Jen Kilburn talking all night while Brian Moran did more work on his novel as the rest of the 7th floor slept.

It’s funny the things a cold afternoon will do to you. Sometimes I don’t miss that City (Boston is always the City just like LA is always Home) but then every so often an overcast, chilly day makes me wish I could go back.