OTH for Savings & Serendipity
If someone had told me three months ago I’d be packing my bags to leave NYC for the summer, I’d say they were c-r-a-z-y.
It was a dizzying 72 hours of signing sublet agreements, moving boxes into storage, loading up the car, and not thinking twice about any of it. And truth be told, I’ve never felt more sure about any decision.
Over these past few months of quarantine, my boyfriend and I had somewhat adjusted to life in a city made foreign by the effects of COVID, trying to make the most of the cards we were dealt. We’d bounce back and forth between our apartments in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the change in scenery, escape now and then for long weekend getaways, and savor the togetherness—a silver lining if there was one. We kept ourselves so distracted with work and the enjoyment of spending every moment together, that it was almost as if we had hibernated for two months and then realized that this ghostly town marred by wreckage was no place to hide anymore.
Plus there was no denying the money we weren’t saving even though dining out, cocktail hours, and late night taxi rides were nonexistent. By simply holding onto the comforts of home, we were hemorrhaging unjustifiable sums of money that could undeniably be put toward much nobler purposes than spending the summer in a cramped studio apartment. And with our companies constantly moving the needle on returning to the office, what was the point of staying?
It seemed we had another puzzle to solve: where would we go? Now this was our favorite game to play. When corona made the days feel long, we’d daydream and list just about every city that felt appealing. Our minds could take us anywhere, but when push came to shove, we’d have to settle on somewhere four wheels, two budgets, and one combined effort could take us.
But now it’s official: we’re spending the summer in Austin. I’m not sure why I warmed up so quickly to Austin, but I know it didn’t take much convincing once leaving felt inevitable. It seemed like a logical solution since Austin has an office where he could work this summer, and coming from New York, the reduced cost of living was overwhelmingly attractive to us. What’s more, my best childhood friend lives there, I love a good margarita, and our craving for a summer adventure was without question.
So here we are, a freewheeling Bonnie and Clyde making our escape from the big city and heading south with little more than the shirts on our backs. Who knows, a month from now we could be back on the road, heading to our next destination—hard to say since neither of us has ever even been to Austin! But until then, we’ll see what awaits us south of the Colorado River. Stay tuned and stay weird.
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