The Accidental Local

You came here for something else—a job, a visit, a wedding, a wrong turn—and the city grabbed you by the soul and wouldn't let go. Now you can't imagine living anywhere else. You've paid your dues: survived your first August, learned to parallel park on Esplanade, figured out which festivals to avoid and which to never miss. The natives can tell you weren't born here, but they also know you've earned your place. You chose this beautiful disaster, and you'd choose it again.