Ladeer&Co.

Pulling into the parking lot, right to the backdoor of my condo, I shut off the engine. The parking lot seemed to be quite empty at midnight on a Friday, perhaps the predominant university population had not returned to town from the summer. I lifted the switch on the metal fence that led into the back porch, stepped up the stair and quietly slide open the glass door to my kitchen. The inside of the house through the vertical blinds was pitch black. As I weaved through the blinds, I wondered if the condo remained intact, since I did not lock it when I left. Taking off my flip flops, the uncarpeted kitchen floor felt cold on my bare feet. Not wanting to disturb the darkness, I purposely did not turn on any light. After I found the stair and locked all doors, I climbed up the stair to where my bedroom was.

The futon that I bought and built yesterday, in its new green stripes sheet, lied flat in the middle of the room. On one side of the wall was my table and an arm chair. On the opposite corner there sat a light green square coffee table, right next to a light green file cabinet. Scattered on my desk sat various keepsakes that I unpacked out of some nine boxes that had been sitting in the storage for the past four month.

The temperature in San Luis Obispo, like its weather, is perfect tonight. During the day it never got hot, I had to wear a jacket for the most of the time. During the night it is quite chilly, even in July, just cold enough to comfortably snuggle in my blanket with the window opened, opened into the mysterious California Central Coastal night.

Second day in California, alone, at the doorstep of the next chapter of my life, my heart is filled with excitement and anticipation. Many questions are yet to be answered, and I can't wait to find out.