Human Touch

Four years later, I graduated from MSU with a degree in engineering and a unique knowledge of Japanese anime thanks to the revolving door of roommates who insisted that we watch “just one more episode” and they would then leave copies of videotapes. I could have opened my own “Bootleg Blockbuster Video” store.

Or at least I could have refreshed the video store back in Caledonia.

I came home for a week or two and then left for Memphis, Tennessee.

I had a small apartment on the north side of the city and a job lined up on the southeast. The apartment wasn’t fancy but it wasn’t expensive and was in, at the time, a quiet, just out of the city area. And hey, the mall was two miles down the street.

I made a trip to Kroger for basic supplies. It took a lot of strength to not just buy ramen noodles and bottled water but I actually bought bread, meats, some fruit and only two packs of ramen. I came back to the apartment and made a small dinner.

It was a lonely affair.

But, it was kind of like a freedom. I was alone and could do whatever I wanted. I could cook and eat in the nude if I chose to.

I could clip my toenails at the table or leave water bottles all around and not have a care in the world about it.

But, it was lonely.
I didn’t know anyone in town and I had to fight my anxiety to go to the mall.

“Maybe you’ll meet people,” I thought to myself as I walked towards the entrance. I shook my head at that. The people I would meet would either want to swiftly get away form me as soon as possible or would rob me of all I had.

I hung out in the book store for most of the time and nursed my quasi-bruised, non-romantic life ego with a large macchiato.