acclimation.


you forget. you go away for a little while and amnesia (or something like it) creeps in.


and then you get back.

and there's that hill leading up to the subway. and the steps--steps, everywhere! and you walk from here to there and from there to here and on and on (all with a heavy bag {bags}). and the heavy doors--the pulling and the pushing.

and suddenly you remember.

and suddenly the body feels the strain.

and a type of exhaustion takes hold, unique to this city.

but the exhaustion will pass.

and i will be back in fighting form in no time.

i had forgotten how the whole of the city conspires to whip one into shape.

but my blistered feet and strained calves, well they certainly remember now.