Northampton

OK, so my memory has been a little sketchy up until now. Let me apologize. I will try to improve. This next vision is etched in stone: our family, plus Rima and our cat, Mephistopheles, had been driving for about five hours, from New York state to Massachusetts. (I must confess that I have somehow forgotten Mephy in my prior conveyances. Again, my apologies, for he has been with us for longer than even Rima has.) My brother, Lars, and I were so excited about what was to come that we were commenting on everything new we that we saw as we headed down Main Street past Smith College. A Ped Xing sign caught our eye. That, for some reason, was the funniest thing -- like when you're in a new country or beamed onto a new planet and things look a bit queer. We probably traded jokes until we soon rolled up to the new house, the first house my mom purchased by herself -- on Arlington Street.

It was a slate blue colonial with 2 large blue Spruces in the front. It had a porch that wrapped around from the front to the side, with plain pillars spaced in between and arborvitaes along the sides.

All I remember about my room was that it had one wall with wallpaper, in a girly floral, reminiscent of Marimekko. The other walls were white, and all the woodwork was painted bubblegum pink. This was the reason my mom picked the room for me, that pink. And I had a walk-in closet. Heaven.

My mom made a promise to us that day: we will be staying put for five years. I remember thinking, five years?

The first day of school was the next day. You know when a certain smell resonates? I can still smell that brand new fresh start smell wafting in the open windows of my own new perfect room. That smell of excitement and a new beginning.