Yesterday we gave notice to our landlords of intention to vacate. While it’s hard to believe, New York is the longest city Lauren and I have lived in and this apartment is the most enduring apartment we’ve been in.

• We moved here two jobs ago for me, one for her
• We decorated and even hung wallpaper
• We bought blinds and storage
• We had a one-year old dog, he’ll be seven tomorrow
• We were unmarried when we moved in, we got engaged and married in the time we were here
• We survived a year of a pandemic here
• We survived the misrule of a prevaricating, orange would-be strongman

For all the flaws of dealing with NYC landlords, it’s been a good decent Manhattan apartment and I’ll miss the giant picture frame window in the bedroom that looks out across West End Avenue and Riverside Drive into the Hudson. That view has seen fog and snow and rain and sunshine and the Hudson’s watery systole and diastole has made me feel rooted in this island.