Without going into all the details*, back in college my friend Alice and I used to pretend we were from Alice, Texas, where we’d lived (of course!) on Melinda Street.

Until last week, I’d never actually been to Alice, Texas, and while I was there I looked to see if there was, in fact, a Melinda Street**. I didn’t find one, but I did locate a very photogenic abandoned house.

Alice, Texas
photographed 11.23.2019

*Because the only details I can remember are too embarrassing to commit to publication.
**My cousins’ last name was Street, but none of them were named Melinda.