Down to One City

 After having spent my life wanting to travel America to every state and city, and fulfilling that, to the sacrifice of many other things, I am down to one city in which I feel at home, and could at the moment, contemplating movin to--Reno.

I did not see that coming, but it makes sense. Reno and I have a long history together, good history going back to the 1980s. The last of my family I can be with, and be relaxed with, not on guard against things that might blow up the conversation, is there. This is despite my great-uncle Dick passing away.

I didn't get to see my second cousins this time, but I got to spend a lovely evening with my my mother's cousin (Dick's daughter), and her husband. I last saw them when visiting for Dick's funeral and memorial service (two different things) in 2021. It was a rough time for many reasons, not the least of which was a dreadful day job that felt like I was working for Satan Inc., but I soldiered through, wearing the leather jacket that Dick gave to me the last time I saw him. Right as I was walking out the door and knowing I would not see him again in this life. 

We talked about him, and about his parents. I knew his mother, my great-grandmother, but I never met his father, my great-grandfather, and the great-grandfather of my second cousins. One of them lives in town and turned Dick's old house into an AirBnB after renovating it. Dick's daughter showed me photos of it. It looks very nice and new. I recognized the shelves where the photo of his mother used to sit.

Jessica and I both loved the cool nights. Such a break from Phoenix, where neither of us feels truly at home, for various reasons. We moved there for her job in 2016, when I worked remotely. Now she works remotely and I have an office job here. Hybrid situation. I worked remotely from the hotel in Reno, while remembering all the good vibes I have felt here over the years.