By now, the morning sun was just over the horizon and it came at me like a sidearm pitch between the houses of my old neighborhood. I shielded my eyes. This being early October, there were already piles of leaves pushed against the curb-more leaves than I remembered from my autumns here-andless open space in the sky. I think what you notice most when you haven't been home in a while is how much the trees have grown around your memories.
The protagonist reflects on returning to their childhood neighborhood, where the morning sun strikes them unexpectedly, reminiscent of a fast pitch in baseball. This early October morning is marked by a significant amount of fallen leaves gathered along the curb, more than they recall from their past visits. Everything seems a little more crowded, creating a bittersweet nostalgia for the space they once knew.
As they absorb the changes, it becomes evident that time has altered their familiar landscape. The trees, now fuller and taller, overshadow the open sky that once characterized their memories. This realization highlights how the passage of time can impact not just the physical environment, but also the emotional connection to places that hold deep significance.
