Welcome to Case Close Close.

You're listening to Bye-Babe, by Kerala Lovering.

Narrated by Helen Laser and Carissa Vacker.

Let's pick up where we left off last week.

Chapter 41 Billy

2010 to 2011.

2011.

After graduation, Cassie and I moved to New York.

It isn't up for debate.

We've both wanted to live in Manhattan post college since seeing working girl in seventh grade.

We envision ourselves as young Melanie Griffiths, minus the perm, riding elevators of skyscrapers

and taking the workforce by storm.

Carly Simons let the river run booming in the background.

Cassie uses her English degree to get a job as an editorial assistant at L, a highly coveted

position that somehow pays less than minimum wage.

I managed to land an entry-level sales role at Expedia, where my salary is hardly higher.

Together, the only living situation we can afford is a 400 square foot studio on East 11th Street in Alphabet City.

We make it work by shoving two twin beds against the far wall,

where the windows look out at the adjacent building, a panorama of brick.

There's a mini fridge and a two-burner hot plate in the miniscule kitchen,

a bathroom so narrow that the shower hangs over the toilet.

But the apartment is ours. We've made it to New York.

...