PARKER, CO
"Do you know what espadrilles are?" she asks into the phone, and I can envision her beau standing amid the boxes and bins in a dark clammy storage unit trying to imagine what she's talking about. I listen as she tells him to hunt for the orange suitcase and then waits patiently while he sifts through the stacks to unearth the case. She goes on through her list, retrieving a formal outfit and accessories piece by piece from 1200 miles away. I think about how many times we've all played this game. While a few of my friends have settled into long-term homes, most are seasonal nomads, and even those with a permanent address often rent out their homes for months at a time, which mean that most of us have a storage unit somewhere, or a basement corner at a relative's house, and for me, the odds of me being in the same city as whatever required item always seems to be zero. And so many a phone call has started with, "Can you do me a favor?" and proceeds with "In the closet in the basement, there's a blue bin, and underneath that....."
