you might’ve seen me over the years // in the house nine of us lived in on East Frambes Avenue
// the one with the mice // purchasing Four Lokos in all change at Tobacco International // we
were so broke then // and now // UDF // but not the one my mother’s car got towed from on north
campus // the apartment on 12th Avenue // where I met you // my sweet friend // Cottage Inn
Pizza // ranch caked to my bedsheets the next morning // Mirror Lake // wet and shivering during
Michigan week // Graeter’s on Lane Avenue // slinging black raspberry chip ice cream until I
could no longer feel my right pinky // Stillman Hall // studying social work and meeting some of
the best change agents this city has // the High Street office // my first and only job after college
// Mock Park // playing basketball with a family I used to work with // sip time at Hey Hey //
mostly losing money but always in good company // Woodland Express // and the sweet store
owner // who called me Ms. Williams and thanked me for visiting his neighborhood each week //
my annual St. Patrick’s Day birthday bar crawl // inevitably ending up laughing so hard I cried //
or that one time I laughed so hard I actually threw up // the lobby at Big Lots Behavioral Health
Pavilion // oftentimes arguing with the attending psychiatrist and comforting families I worked
with // playing darts at Ledo’s // and discovering Lauren and I made a damn good team // Schiller
Park // counting cats on neighborhood walks // E-Jay’s Drive Thru // and the tender man who
always checked my ID and put a smile on my face // Sid’s apartment in Italian Village // all those
late nights on his couch where I read poetry books while he worked // and the happy tears when
we cleaned out that apartment and he moved in with me // GoreMade Pizza // and their triple x
seasoning // St. James Tavern // and the first time I discovered green tea shots are made with
Jameson // ordering Crunchwerks at least once a week // and meeting the owner who recognized
our names from Uber Eats // The Daily Bar // watching WWE and collecting those little
dinosaurs to give to my nephew // every bar in this city my family and friends have gathered to
hear my brother’s music // Khaab // ordering dal makhani and garlic naan // Haveli // and their
spicy hakka noodles // Studio 35 // their amazing employees and Sid always finding rare
gummies there // Club 185 // and their pigs in a blanket before I became a vegetarian // reuniting
by chance with Sid’s friend from college in the wrong bar // still unable to distinguish between
The Olde Oak and The Olde Town Tavern // Sunday Fundays watching football at Bob’s Bar //
and Brew-Stirs // specifically the Beechwold Tavern location // and winning my fantasy football
league that year // Jackie-O’s patio // drinking sours and watching OSU football // and Two
Dollar Radio Headquarters // my absolute favorite place in this city // maybe even the world //
these places shaped me // the people they’ve held // make this city beautiful // I can’t make you //
love Columbus // please // just give me a little bit longer // here