Karen Chenoweth

It was one of the saddest places I've ever been to.

It was one of the saddest places I've ever been to.

There was a rusting hulk of a steel mill. There were abandoned buildings, a lot of rubbish, very little business downtown. The stores were empty.

There was a rusting hulk of a steel mill. There were abandoned buildings, a lot of rubbish, very little business downtown. The stores were empty.

It was astonishing to me how amazing that elementary school was.

It was astonishing to me how amazing that elementary school was.

You would have been amazed, Emily. I mean, every kid knew how to read. They had a kid they were so proud of who had been measured with a very low IQ, and he was reading. I mean, like, this was an amazing school.

You would have been amazed, Emily. I mean, every kid knew how to read. They had a kid they were so proud of who had been measured with a very low IQ, and he was reading. I mean, like, this was an amazing school.

My eye was immediately drawn to this little dot on the upper left corner.

My eye was immediately drawn to this little dot on the upper left corner.

You and I sat next to each other at lunch. We didn't know each other.

You and I sat next to each other at lunch. We didn't know each other.

I think I asked you what you were working on, and you started telling me, and I was very excited.

I think I asked you what you were working on, and you started telling me, and I was very excited.

I had never been there. I had never heard of it.

I had never been there. I had never heard of it.