It really was a beautiful day. It was a balmy 75 degrees outside and an intermittent cool breeze blew past in seemingly perfect intervals. The beginnings of autumn leaves fluttered to the ground, adding green and brown hues to the otherwise lackluster sidewalk. It was the perfect day to enjoy being outside, but I just wanted to get home. From point A to point B.

I was speed-walking to my car from the Agoura Hills office I had been holed up in for the majority of the day, all the while cursing the company leaders for scheduling this meeting on a Friday. I was fooling myself to even hope that I stood a chance of beating the traffic. At this time of day, I was sure that the 405 freeway would be a parking lot, meaning I would have to drive through Los Angeles instead of around it. And I avoided that city at all costs. I avoided the poor drivers, the congested freeways, and the tourist traps. I avoided the hustle and bustle, the towers of downtown, and the sideways looks. I avoided it like an ex-girlfriend from a messy break-up. But mostly, I avoided the memories.

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