
It was a good day to visit Omaha.
A week after the Omaha Public Library opened its doors, I was able to make it to the downtown, which was about a quarter of a mile away.
This was a city I had never been to before.
I could easily walk to the other side of town, and I had a couple of hours before the lights dimmed again.
I found myself in a world that I had only seen on TV or in documentaries.
In the distance, the skyline was lit up with thousands of lights, reflecting off a single building.
I walked down the street, past the first floor of a new apartment building, to my hotel room, where I waited for my flight home.
I was greeted by the staff at my hotel and my roommate, who was also waiting to be picked up.
I’d only had a short break from work, so I was still exhausted and I couldn’t wait to get back.
The next day, I walked through the lobby of the hotel and into my room, which I knew would be my only place of sleep the rest of the day.
I took a shower, then went to bed.
I had spent nearly half of my first day in a hotel room.
My body had been feeling so tired.
I hadn’t slept at all the day before, and now I was so tired that I was wondering if I’d have to take a shower for the rest for a few days.
After getting dressed, I went into the bathroom, grabbed my phone, and began typing away.
I got up and walked out the door.
I never felt more awake than I did in the hotel lobby.
By the time I walked outside, the lights were gone.
I looked out my window, and it was still raining.
I turned around and was surprised to see a city that I’d been so excited to see.
I knew I had to come home.