9.1.02 – the first day of school

and so i’ve arrived on the east coast. i am renting a room in a neat turn-of-the-century farmhouse in west roxbury, a suburb south of boston. the people who live here, the parents-of-my-brother’s-former-fraternity-brother, are very sweet, and the house is comfortably cluttered, with creaky old staircases and slating hallways and a black(ish) cat, brownie, whom i am trying to win over with love and bits of food. outside my window there are great big leafy trees, creating the sense of cool, green calm in my bedroom – i have arrived just in time to enjoy the fall weather. today i will go out and explore the city, and tomorrow i go into rehearsal at the chamber repertory theatre. gulp. i feel like it’s the first day of school. i pack my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wonder, what if the other kids don’t like me? what if i get beat up while waiting for the bus?