Mild Summer/Longing

Last night was the first time I experienced the Bradford Beach. Sitting on the sand that was just cool enough to give the illusion of dampness, I had the hood up on my sweatshirt. We listened to Hall & Oates, Fleetwood Mac, Grandaddy and Neon Indian while drinking beers and talking about the surprises the short time we've been here has provided. All the surprises were good ones, and every once and a while I looked out at the lake and pretended I could see through the misty darkness to Chicago or Michigan. A few couples held hands and walked by, and I found myself shocked again at the mildness of the summer here. Never before have I experienced a comfortable month of June or been without the intense Missouri humidity for this length of time. It's jarring how comfortable getting dressed and ready in the morning is without the old fear of blow drying your hair only to get so hot you have to shower again.

When I let my mind wander on the chartered bus commute, I often think about Alley A in Columbia and the line it made between two of my favorite places in the world and the eagerness with which I walked back and forth. I'm positive Columbia will always have a piece of my heart and I can't wait to see it and its inhabitants again, but at this moment, I'm glad to be in Milwaukee.