As some of you might remember, I told Julie that I was going to Columbia for school that fall. And as a few of you might remember, I mentioned a while back that I did in fact do the whole college-wife-kids thing. And I'm sure none of you remember what college I said I went to. It wasn't Columbia. I'll give you all a second to check the facts on that one.

Anyway, I didn't go to Columbia as I planned. I will admit that I did make it there eventually for medical school but first I did my undergrad at the University of Oregon, where I played baseball.

I was very disappointed that I didn't go to Columbia. I wanted to get away from everything and everyone and Oregon felt too close to home (even though it was actually hundreds of miles away from home) and that I would never be able to have a fresh start and create a new life for myself. I thought I would end up going to college somewhere with people I knew, which would ruin it all.

Luckily, I only knew one person going there so the odds of having to deal with her were low. I didn't see her very often although it was important when I did. That was due to the fact that I did end up sleeping with her on two occasions, once during our time at U of O and once not long after graduation. So I guess I was able to make a fresh start in the end. But at the time it seemed impossible.

Now I'm sure you're wondering, if he wanted to go to Columbia instead of U of O so badly, why didn't he? Money, my friend. Money is why I ended up on the opposite side of the country than Columbia and had the experiences I did. Money is the decider of the world.

You see, I didn't get many scholarships from Columbia since it's an Ivy League school and all. But it was okay because my parents could afford to pay for it. But then my father lost his job that paid so well. What had been my college fund became "let's try to keep the house and not starve" fund. I suppose if I had no other way to futher my education, which was important to them, my parents would have taken out a loan and sent me to Columbia. But since I had gotten scholarship money through an offered place on the baseball team at U of O (I hadn't gotten a spot on Columbia's), it was only logical that I go there.

Now I'm glad that I didn't go to Columbia. It was all for the best, I guess. Fate is a crazy thing.

"Eli?"

"Yes mom?"

"What are you doing?"

"Repacking. I'll need different clothes if I'm going to Oregon and not New York."

"Yes. Yes, of course. I forgot that you'd need to do that."

"..."

"Eli?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"I know, mom."