Flashbacks

[vinceconaway]

I'm stirring sugar into my coffee and I'm suddenly in Seattle, at Pike Place Market, where those in the know can get $1 coffee while working the market. Happily for me, buskers count, and they only ask to see my pass the first few times before it's just a sleepy nod good morning.

I keep forgetting I'm in Austin because everything reminds me of San Diego, from the ludicrously tangled highway system to the dusty semi-arid flora to the consistent weather day to day. I've been assured that there's a lot more variation throughout the year, but what I've seen so far gibes remarkably with what I saw there.

And then there are the strange ones, when my mind's eye is walking down a street even if I'm lying in bed. Sometimes it's easy to place: Via Emmanuele in Rome or Royal St in New Orleans. Other times it takes me a minute to recognize Pearl Alley in Columbus or the backstreets of Kitchener, Ontario.

I like them, these little reminders of my peripatetic life, and I try not to stress about what they might mean for my mental health. It's very rare that I wake up confused about where I am, which encourages me, even as I'm a little nervous about the long term.

And meanwhile the adventures continue: I head to Galveston for a short vacation on Tuesday.

Comments

[asthran.livejournal.com]

I really like how this was written.

There are worse things than being reminded of someplace you're not. Is dementia common in your family history?

[vconaway.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm not really worried about dementia: there is no family history and I'm a polyglot musician so there are a lot of ameliorating factors. But my occasional disconnect from reality can be distressing… If not surprising