Tag: Sketch/Vignette

  • Mohammad was my driver on a busy Friday night. Amid the bustle of cars coming and going, I almost missed him. He had dropped someone off ahead of me, farther down the street, but I didn’t know that and kept waiting for him to pull up. Finally I caught sight of his white Camry and…

  • Home (part 5)

    It’s the first house in weeks that has caught your eye. Timeless brick, attractive landscaping, and oh man, those hardwood floors. You click through each photo, waiting for the “but.” The catch. The compromise. But there is none. It’s even better in person. You’re not supposed to fall in love — not yet, not yet — but how can you resist…

  • Home (part 4)

    It’s a leap of faith. He asks you to follow him to a new city, and you say yes. You’re moving in together, but it doesn’t feel like a sin. Just the opposite, in fact. Like puzzle pieces clicking into place. It’s a jumble of hand-me-down furniture and college dorm cast-offs. The big blue recliner. The IKEA…

  • Home (part 3)

    It’s a strange mix of exhilaration and mourning as you drive away from the house you grew up in. A new chapter of your life is beginning. Your most essential belongings are packed into suitcases and boxes, and squished into the back of the car. You lean your head against the window and watch the miles blur…

  • Home (part 2)

    It’s only a few minutes away from where you used to live, but this new neighborhood feels like a different planet. Free-standing houses bordered by driveways and fences. Sprinklers spitting water over grassy lawns. Golden Retrievers prancing with leashes in their mouths. It’s a tranquil street connected to a busy road. Transco Tower winks in the distance. An occasional siren interrupts…