It was difficult to pick up the phone. It was time to deal with the thing that’s been weighing on me for nine months and it felt like the edge of the high dive. In the end, I had to drive downtown anyway to fill out the form to get a new city inspection. My destination was the Wayne County Building, the site of my closing day existential crisis. But this time, everything was different.

This time, I knew how to get there. I toured down Michigan Avenue, watching the city around me rather than Google Maps. That sign in the storefront window that reads “It will be alright” was still there, but this time it read like a high five instead of cold comfort. The wind was blowing just as hard as that day, but this time I clapped my hand on my head at just the right moment to save it from blowing away. I marched thru security and up to the fourth floor with confidence. This time, there was no line. No surprises, no complications. In and out, and date was set: the next day.

As it dawned on me the number of things I had left to do, I panicked bit. I spent the rest of the day running around the Sullivan House cleaning up and sealing up the last few hazards and inspection points (like smoke detectors). I was up working very late with Aaron helping and Rocky (my dog) watching anxiously. Today, I’m seated at the Sullivan House, awaiting the inspector who could arrive any time between 8AM and 4PM. My date with destiny. My dance with the devil. My showdown at high noon. My… well, you get the picture. See you all on the other side.