despite the fact that she spent the first 19 years of her life in the same town, it never felt like home to her. it was the type of town where everyone had some connection to every other person. they knew each other intimately, the size of the town didn’t allow any way around it. everyone who josie grew up around loved almswood. nobody ever seemed to leave, nor did they have any desire to do so. everyone spent their first eighteen years going to the same school with the same thirty-something people and after graduation, most people either went to the community college a half hour away or got married and settled down almost immediately. the distain was palpable in the voices of those who asked her about her college plans. “oh! columbia. bless your heart.” “isn’t that school in new york? don’t you think that’s a bit too… urban? and it’s so far away! wouldn’t you just be happier here?” no, she decided. she wanted something different, something more than what almswood had to offer. it may have been her hometown, but that didn’t mean that it was her home.
