Bedford Stuyvesant

Bed-Stuy, the 'hood that became home for the month. I seem to remember things back to front -- that last day, a heat wave was just setting itself upon the city. It was grey around the edges and that sticky, inescapable kind of heat that really makes you sweat. One last 40 minute pilgrimage to Manhattan for one last breakfast at Buvette then back 'home' to clear the room, pack our bags, scour the house for scattered belongings, and say goodbye. Goodbye to that new home with it's new smells that had quickly became old and familiar.  A reluctant & purposefully quick goodbye with my beautiful new friend who had become family as we invaded her home. A storm set in as I called a taxi and took off alone, shutting the door behind me and trying not to acknowledge the sadness I could feel in the corner of my eyes as I remembered back to the beginning, that very first day in this unfamiliar hood I was now calling home.