Ate one more hearty, southern breakfast at Kelly’s with Ms. Cooper. 

Packed up everything I own into my little Honda Civic and drove to Memphis, TN.

Sat in Otherlands one more time and had me a delicious iced coffee and turkey melt. I can’t even tell you how many hours I have spent in that coffeeshop. Bought a mug to remember all those Sundays slaving over lesson plans. 

Met up with Nelson, Heather, Chris, and Shavonne for dinner at Fuel Cafe before hitting up Blind Bear, the speakeasy on Main St. one more time. 

Stayed at Kirk’s with Kirk and Leslie. My home in Memphis. It was funny because the day before, I had given Kirk my bed and all of my sheets of comforter and then I got to sleep in my bed with all of my stuff one last time :) 

I sure am going to miss you Memphis. You have definitely been a home to me and I can’t wait to see you again. 

06.01.12

Packed up most everything into my car. Just a few belongings left at my house to throw in. Kirk came and took my bed, so today officially begins my couch surfing adventure. I’m currently crashing on Erica Terrell’s futon. 

Drove down to Clarksdale, MS for one last hurrah in the Delta. Ate Stone Pony pizza and drank Southern Pecan

Southern beer made from pecans. Delicious.

Journeyed down the street to Ground Zero, the Blues Club/Juke Joint owned by Morgan Freeman. 

Just look at this hole in the wall lol. Only in Mississippi. Good times. Met up with a whole bunch of the KIPP gang and said a lot of goodbyes. Sad.. but at least in a joyful and appropriate setting. Less time to get sentimental and that’s probably for the best.

Listened to live blues. That, I will certainly miss as well. There is so much music in the South and people certainly embrace it as a lifestyle.

Day 1 Complete! Gotta focus my efforts today on making sure everything really is packed up and where it’s supposed to be. Let the adventure begin!

Standing there at the last Stringtown bonfire. It was one of those really good hugs too.. the ones you mean and I fought so hard to keep from tearing up. Let’s just say it was a good thing it was so dark out. 

You changed everything, Chris.

I cannot tell you how many times you were the one that stepped in and changed my journey completely. Because we didn’t hang out that often.. but you always changed the game when I was slipping. 

I remember the first day I met you at Institute. I was sprawled on the floor of my door, trying to replicate this huge poem on a piece of poster paper I stole from TFA. At that point, it was you and me working for KIPP. “Trust me, Kristen, we’re really lucky. This is like the best thing we could have hoped for.” Haha. I wonder what we would say now.

We drove to Helena that one day to drop off your rent at Messina’s. Driving over that bridge for the first time was magical. And we went to Nick’s house… little did I know you would be the one to put me in my next home. I absolutely adore this home and Nick and during that first year, there were so many times when the stability of this house was what kept me afloat. Me living with Nick shaped my entire approach to the Delta and to teaching. It taught me never to take work home and to go to bed at a decent hour and to spend time cooking and resting in order to be the best I could be. It was the perfect living situation and there you were again, changing my path.

I remember that week I was going to quit. You took me to Rio to talk it out. I told you I was too young to be in a stable career and that I wanted to quit and become a waitress and travel and enjoy my early 20s while I still had them. I loved that look on your face because I could see that you completely agreed with me… and then you just burst out laughing and said, “Wow, well I guess I can’t argue with that. In fact, maybe I should come with you!” But in the end, I remember walking away from that dinner knowing that I couldn’t actually do it. 

One time, I walked into the office and you said, “Hey, how was your day?” I didn’t even answer before you started laughing and said, “That look says it all. It looks about as good as mine felt. Wanna grab dinner?” This was obviously early on in our teaching career because you said, “Is it bad to drink on a school night? Because I really, really want a beer right now.” I never drank beer. You told me there was nothing more satisfying after a long, hard day than an ice cold beer. You ordered me one and damnit, it was the most satisfying thing after a long, hard day! And it still is. Maybe less so because of the beer, but more so because every single time I drink a beer, I picture that moment of rock bottom in the Bistro with you.

I could obviously go on forever.

Standing by that bonfire, hugging you, I was hit with every wave of emotion. It finally became real to me that I’m leaving. That this entire world we’ve created for ourselves over the past 2 years is literally disintegrating. And that one hug held so much weight, so much history… you’ve been a huge part of a chapter in my life that most people will never understand. You are unbelievably special to me and I’m completely serious when I say you should call me when you get ready to go on your next adventure. No matter what. You’ve changed everything. And I will always be down for an adventure with Chris Johnson. So, no goodbyes.

I love you, Chris. And I’ll see you around.