I remember that day because it was the day I transported an earthworm from one side of the sidewalk to the other, just in front of the hotdog stand that pays tribute to Detroit and Coney Island, at the same time, Faygo and black and white cookies.

All I remember about Detroit is a wide road and a good amount of auto mechanics. I thought, “oh wow, that’s a lot of auto mechanics” and felt I had learned something substantial about Detroit, something I could share the next time Michigan came up in conversation.

Back in New York there was a corner at the end of my block where the rain pooled, the lowest part of the street, an 8 inch reservoir, felt like it stayed wet for weeks (time moved slower then). Around age eight I saw an earthworm white in color motionless I thought, “wow I didn’t know worms could live underwater,” and I felt I had learned something essential about worms. I’d tell my friends worms were more like frogs next time frogs came up in conversation.