Chapel Hill, NC, 1998

In going through my photos to select ones for this site, I’ve realized I have so many good ones of Alexis. Many of them are from memorable events—trips, Phases, parties, erstwhile bachelorette weekends, and so on. I’m not one for choosing a favorite, but I always end up coming back to this one, which was taken on a decidedly ordinary day. In fact, it was my last ordinary day in Chapel Hill. I moved out before I even took my final exams, hellbent on running away to London and turning my back on the sadness that found me during those years. We’re in the back of Josh’s pickup, driving out to Arthur’s country house. It was the last day; it was summertime. It was an end and a beginning. I left the next day, but for that moment we had the sun and warm wind on our summer shirts. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so completely free.