christmas is right around the corner. my wee one will be the big 0-3 and i'm not sure i know how to process that information. three years ago it was wintry cold in boston and i was going out every night and dating an older haitian poet and trying to fall out of love with lil mike (the boy).

three years ago i was taking the 117 from wonderland and walking the freezing two blocks up to my apartment where the only thing needing my attention was georgiakutty and maybe my katilena if she were home. i was eating quahogs at jacob wirth's and wishing i had enough money to see a show at the wang.

three years ago i was a graduate student splitting my time between publishing houses and writing workshops, dreaming of big andre [dubus]. i was stalking bill kn0tt and drinking pitchers at charlie flynn's with my fellow pretentious grad students while smiling over their shoulders at the working class patrons - most of whom wound up supplying us with more pitchers.

i was young and careless and open and thought nothing of crossing the common in the dark.