I wasn’t anticipating the release from my cage to be so violent—but I suppose, once the doors are swung open, even the most timid bird will catapult themselves to freedom. I’d started seeing someone just as the air began to harden and the trees transitioned from their fiery masses to barren claws. It’s that tricky time in the city when the weather necessitates a partner for warmth and a confidant for dormant depression. The cold nights and unpredictable radiators run by incom