What We Left Behind. Robin Talley

works for me,” I say, and the others laugh. Not that Gretchen or I usually drink very much. Gretchen is such a lightweight, and I’m always the one stuck driving.

      But I don’t have to drive up here. Everyone walks everywhere at Harvard. I can do what I want here.

      I can be who I want.

      “Some of the straight guys come in drag,” Derek says. “Mostly it’s respectful, though. It’s supposed to be just for the people in our house, but we can get you guys in.”

      “Cool, thanks. I’ll tell Gretchen.”

      Nance launches into a story about last year’s Halloween dance and Derek joins in. Soon all of them are rushing to tell me all the best stories from last year, and the details on everyone I met at the UBA table, and all the reasons we shouldn’t be hanging out and talking right now (all four of us have reading we should be doing instead).

      Derek and Nance and I don’t do any work on the transition guide, but that’s okay. We have plenty of time.

      And I have plenty of time to think about this transitioning stuff on my own, too.