Change in Seasons
October 21, 2021 – Beaverton, Oregon, USA
A thick layer of soggy leaves covered the concrete and patio furniture outside the sliding glass door. Justin stirred the cereal in his bowl and wondered how long he could let the leaves accumulate before he absolutely had to rake them. What if he simply left them there? That was what happened in the forest. Real nature did not require any leaf raking.
“I hate leaves. They’re hard and crunchy and they get everywhere,” Justin said to Katie, who was putting cups and plates into their dishwasher. “Why can’t they stay attached? It seems like a waste for a tree to grow new leaves every year.”
“You say that every time you think about raking.”
“I do?”
“Yep.”
“Well, don’t you feel the same way about leaves by now?”
“I told you I like all the different red and yellow colors that show up.”
“You always take the leaves’ side. You’re too positive. Can you at least admit it’s unfair that more of them fall on our side of the fence even though that tree sits right on the fence boundary.”
“Okay, yeah, that is unfair.”
“I thought this place was going to be covered in evergreens that were smart enough not to lose any leaves. Why didn’t I pay more attention during our first visit?”
Justin and Katie had moved from California to the Portland area right out of college. The move was prompted when Justin got an employment offer from Intel. It would be his first real job and he liked the idea of working for a company with a reputation for being at the leading edge of technology. Katie soon found a job with another Portland company and it seemed like fate for them to move north together.
Justin and Katie arrived in the summer of 2019 and decided they should take another big step into adulthood – buying a house. They settled on a two-story townhouse which sat about hallway between their respective job sites. While the townhouse shared a wall with a neighbor, it felt bigger and more private than anything the couple had lived in during college.
The 2019 summer months were a glorious introduction to the Pacific Northwest. It rained off and on, but there were days with nothing but sun and gorgeous views all the way out to Mount Hood. The hills surrounding the wide Columbia River were colored in rich greens and the air smelled freshly scrubbed. Justin told Katie that his fears about constantly being stuck in a rain shower were exaggerated.
“It’s probably a rumor they spread around to keep everyone else from moving here,” said Justin.
The Portland natives Justin and Katie met seemed to spend all their free time outdoors. Connecting with nature was not a hobby or weekend activity, it was a lifestyle. The natives repeated a line about the wonder of Portland’s four seasons. “Other places in the U.S. may think they have four seasons, but they can’t compare to Portland’s. Here you can really see and feel the changes.”
Justin was looking forward to his first real fall. He had enjoyed the Portland summer and if the natives thought the fall was as good or better, he was eager to see and feel it for himself. And then, about the same time as he saw the first yellow leaf, the rains arrived. They were more like a mist or a drizzle than a steady downpour, but they showed up every day with cloudy skies.
After staring into the gray for six months, Justin said to Katie, “They lied to us. There aren’t four seasons. There are only two – partly cloudy and fully cloudy.”
Just as the cloudy gloom was supposed to end, Covid-19 showed up. Instead of spending their days in an office, Justin and Katie moved to working from home. The townhouse, which used to feel so big, shrank quickly as they both carved out space for home offices.
When the sun did shine, it felt like there was no place to go other than for walks around their neighborhood. The parks and trails they looked forward to exploring were suddenly forbidden. But every summer hour they spent inside felt like time wasted. Life felt like the time spent in an airport waiting for a flight. Justin and Katie both put on Netflix pounds from too much time on the couch.
In the fall of 2020, not only did the rains return, but news of riots and protests simmered up from downtown Portland. Friends and family called to find out what was going on and if Justin and Katie were in danger.
“We don’t go down there,” Justin told everyone from out of state. “It’s crazy. We can only hope where we live stays quiet.”
When Justin and Katie talked privately, they worried about their choices.
“We shouldn’t have bought a house so quickly,” said Justin. “We should have rented for a while and figured out if we liked it.”
“People are unhappy everywhere,” replied Katie. “Covid’s made everyone crazy. It’s not just Portland. We’ve got to stick it out and give it more of a chance.”
“It might not be hard to sell the house though,” said Justin, as if he was not listening. “And it’s not like we’d be missing any friends. It all feels so temporary.”
Despite Justin’s anxiety, they did stick it out and by the summer of 2021, things looked brighter. Covid restrictions loosened. Places they wanted to explore opened up. They drove out to the Pacific Coast. They ate dinner in restaurants again. They both met work colleagues in person.
But when the first leaves turned yellow, Justin fell into a familiar funk. “I don’t know if I can do it again,” he said to Katie. “I think I was genetically engineered to need sunlight.”
“You’re not appreciating the beauty around you. Look at all the colors on the hills,” replied Katie.
“You can’t trick me with the color talk. It’s all going to be gray before you know it.”
On the October morning when Justin was stewing over the pile of leaves on their patio, Katie knew she had to get him thinking about something other than weather and sunlight. His college roommate was in town and they had a way of bringing out the worst in each other. If one of them started complaining, nothing but gloom and doom would follow.
“Am I supposed to wear anything special when we meet Roland tonight?” Katie asked.
“Not really. I’m not planning on anything special.”
“Has he given you all the details about Vermont?”
“No, but I’m sure he hates it.”
Katie grimaced and hoped she would be able to scroll through her phone rather than listen to the impending conversation.
That night, the two of them drove to an unfamiliar address in Portland. It turned out to be a swanky hotel with only valet parking. Justin re-checked the address before surrendering their car.
When they walked into the hotel lobby, Roland was waiting for them, dressed in an expensive suit. His hair was trimmed and styled.
“Were we supposed to dress up?” asked Justin, who along with Katie, was wearing very casual clothes.
“No, don’t worry about it,” said Roland with a laugh. “I was in meetings all day and didn’t have time to change.” He looked Justin and Katie over. “Long time no see. You two look good.”
“So do you,” said Katie. “I love your shoes.”
Roland looked at his feet. “Yeah, nice shoes come with the job now. I thought we could eat in the hotel restaurant. It’s supposed to be really good.”
The three of them walked into the restaurant and were led to a table with gleaming white tablecloths. Justin looked down at the menu and squirmed over the prices. Roland did not hesitate to order a bottle of wine.
“You’re into wine now?” Justin asked him after the waiter disappeared.
“I guess I’ve picked up the habit. Part of business meals.”
“So you’re like some big important business guy now?” Justin said with a laugh.
Roland smiled. “They’re talking about making me an associate and then I’m on the fast track to being a partner.”
Justin waited for Roland to laugh, as if he might be joking, but Roland kept the same serious smile.
“So how do you like Vermont?” asked Katie.
“You’ve got to hate it. I hear the winters can be brutal,” added Justin.
“I actually love it. The fall colors are amazing right now and having all the seasons gives you this amazing variety,” Roland replied.
Again, Justin waited for him to laugh like he was making a joke, but Roland stayed sincere.
“So tell us about who you’re working with,” said Justin. “Who would you fire if you could? Who makes you crazy?”
Roland chuckled like it was a strange question. “I think I get along pretty well with most all of them.”
“Oh. There’s nobody like McDougal?”
“Wow, I haven’t thought about him since we graduated. You know, he still owes me $100.” Roland shrugged his shoulders. “Oh well. So you into cryptocurrencies at all?”
Justin scoffed. “No. Are you?”
“Sure. I’ve already tripled my money.”
Roland continued to talk about investments and then training for a triathlon. Justin’s stare grew more and more blank, as if he was listening to a stranger chattering on a phone call.
“With all that you’re doing, do you have time to see anyone, you know, romantically?” asked Katie.
“Not seriously right now. I’m pretty close to a couple of people at my gym, but sometimes it’s hard to get together with our schedules.”
Justin quickly put his hand around Katie’s shoulders and she flinched in surprise. “I’m sure glad I’m out of the dating scene,” he said. “Soulmates are hard to come by.”
Katie smiled as if she had not heard such sweet talk for a while.
“That’s for sure,” said Roland. He held up his glass like he was going to make a toast, but was interrupted by the waiter with the bill. “I got it. Dinner’s definitely on me.”
When Justin tried to protest, Roland said, “Hey, I owe you for taking off work and showing me around tomorrow. You’re both coming, right?”
“I wasn’t going to, but now I think I’ll call in a personal day and tag along,” said Katie.
On their way home that night, Justin acted as if he had just seen a movie with a horrible ending. “It doesn’t make sense,” he kept saying.
“Why not,” replied Katie.
“How can someone like his job so much? And Vermont? It’s like I was talking to a different person.”
Katie shrugged her shoulders and suppressed a grin. “I dunno. He didn’t seem that different to me.”
Justin drove in silence before saying, “Well, there’s no way Vermont’s better than Portland. Where’s the nicest place we can take him?”
When they arrived back at their townhouse, Katie was happy to pull up maps of the city and help pick a best spot. Justin insisted it had to be somewhere outside in order to “show off all the nature”.
Roland had already eaten breakfast by the time Justin and Katie arrived in the morning to pick him up at his hotel.
“But we can stop somewhere so you can get a bite,” said Roland.
As they drove through the middle of the city looking for a place with waffles, Roland said, “There sure are a lot of tents everywhere. Interesting way to deal with your homeless problem.”
Justin acted like he was noticing the many tents along a sidewalk for the first time. “Yeah, I guess there are a few. Portland has so much energy, it attracts all kinds of people.”
“Weren’t there riots around here not too long ago?” Roland asked.
Justin scoffed. “I think that got a little sensationalized. Just some people letting off steam.”
They sat down for breakfast at a little diner and Justin pointed out how friendly the waiter was.
“I guess I didn’t notice,” said Roland. “I’m probably used to it from being in Vermont.”
“Glad to see you’re not wearing your fancy shoes,” said Justin, glancing at Roland’s feet. “We’re going to do lots of walking around outside. Best way to appreciate this place.”
“Bring it on,” replied Roland.
“We thought we’d start with Washington Park. For Portland, it’s not all that special, but it has good views.”
“It’s one of my favorite places,” Katie interjected.
Justin flashed her an annoyed look to show she was messing up his narration. “It’s okay,” he quickly said to Roland. “You can decide.”
The drive up to Washington Park wound up a hill overlooking the city. Houses, stone walls, and colorful trees crowded close to the road. The ground was wet but the sky overhead was filled with bright sunlight and patches of blue.
Justin looked up and almost sighed with relief. “Another beautiful day,” he called in a satisfied voice.
“Looks like it rained last night,” said Roland.
“Keeps everything green,” said Justin. “Makes for beautiful, sunny days. So let’s see, we could start with the zoo. Probably the best in the Northwest U.S. Or there’s the Rose Garden. It’s got over 10,000 roses. You know, they call Portland the Rose City.”
“You’re the experts. Whatever you think,” said Roland.
“We’ll start with the roses,” said Justin.
He drove to the rose garden’s parking lot and found nothing but occupied spaces. “Always a big crowd of people taking advantage of these parks,” said Justin in a calm voice.
After a long hike from a far off parking spot, Justin pointed out the view to the city below and to Mt. Hood in the distance. He admired the rose bushes and the nearby natural amphitheater.
“You heard any concerts there?” asked Roland.
“Not yet. Definitely on our ‘to do’ list,” said Justin. “How about we walk up to the Arboretum? They’ve got more than 2000 species of trees.”
“Whatever you want,” said Roland.
The trio began the climb on a walking trail which led to a thick collection of trees. Along the way, Justin continued to take deep breathes and rave about the fresh air and refreshing breeze.
“Before living here, I never appreciated trees. Look how many different types there are,” said Justin.
“Sounds like you’ve found your slice of paradise,” said Roland. “That’s worth more than any amount of money.”
“Yeah, and the amazing thing is, I’m making more money than I ever thought I would.”
“Then I guess you’re going to be here forever.”
Justin smiled and looked at Katie. “I guess so. As long as Katie still loves it.”
“Maybe I’m not as passionate about it as you are,” Katie replied, hiding any sarcasm. “There’s definitely a lot to love.”
Justin stopped to pick up a large yellow leaf fringed with deep red accents. “Look at that one! I think I’ll take it home for my collection.”
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