Nomadic Life

Avery had left the town he’d grown up in behind. It was a place that never once loved him. He’d lost his Dishwashing job after being accused of something he didn’t do. His innocence was proven after video evidence surfaced showing he wasn’t even in the building at the time. His shift hadn’t even started yet. Management apologized. The damage was already done being his only response. They knew he wasn’t going to come back based on his response. They gave him a hefty severance as a result. He planned on using it to leave. He wasn’t going to stay in an area where he was already struggling to find another job. 

He’d been living in a small one bedroom near work after his dad was placed in an Assisted Living Facility. He’d moved out of the three bedroom a month after Riley was placed into the ALF. He had no need for a big place anymore. He went through the same Realty company. The Dementia diagnosis came as no surprise to Avery. He’d already known. His dad had Stubborn Old Man Syndrome. He hadn’t been taking care of himself. He’d often downplay and lying about everything. Comments he’d made on Social Media, several times he almost caused a car accident after dozing off at the wheel as well as several awkward situations while out with friends prompted an involuntary 5150 that turned into placing him in an ALF. People had already been noticing little things. Things didn’t make sense when they asked Riley if he was okay.

Avery left one week after he received the severance. He’d already saved more than enough to leave. The severance meant he had more than enough to move. He’d led a more simplistic life in the last few years. He’d gotten rid of everything he had no use for. The apartment he had didn’t have much furniture. He didn’t have a need for much. What he couldn’t take he donated. He’d waited until the lease was up before leaving. He planned on spending some time in Miami Beach before moving to Atlanta. He wanted out of Florida entirely. He’d liked the laid back atmosphere Miami Beach offered. He saw opportunities in Atlanta. He’d also wanted to see various parts of the country. He considered the life of a Nomad. A life of working his way from place to place. To see the country. 

He loved his time in Atlanta. He knew he wanted the life of a Nomad though. He’d gone up the Eastern Seaboard over the next year after three months of living in Atlanta. He’d work a month or two in one place before leaving. He’d stayed in extended stay hotels in each place. It was New York City he loved the most. He planned on staying for at least a year. He was happier going from place to place. He saw the beauty of every place he stayed in. His time in Denver left him conflicted. He wanted to settle somewhere. 

California was the last stop for him. He’d been everywhere else he wanted to go by that point. He wasn’t sure where he wanted to move to. Each place had its own set of challenges. Weather being one of the biggest reasons. He saw himself in each place in some way. There were jobs he saw himself in aside from Dishwashing. He liked being a Dishwasher though. It was a mundane job he didn’t mind doing. He didn’t have to be around people. New York was the place he saw himself living in. It was a place he’d fallen in love with far more than anywhere else he’d been. A place with no shortage of things to do. He didn’t mind having a small apartment. It was a place to keep his things and sleep when he needed to. He’d otherwise be roaming the city. He planned on making a decent life for himself. He’d found a loft he couldn’t yet afford. A place he knew he’d one day live in.