What Changed

Monday. I keep trying to summarise 2002 and the problem is that all the obvious milestones are only half the story. I turned eighteen. That’s obvious. Hikari got together with Marico. Erick got together with Mark and discovered that happiness can create conflict simply by existing in the wrong person’s idea of your life. Yuri and I reached a year. School became the final year instead of merely another year. I moved Eclixar to Splinder and suddenly this place stopped feeling like a little house with a counter and started feeling like part of an actual neighbourhood. I went to Genova over and over, saw Dad, saw Tia, walked by the sea, came back to Milano and missed it immediately. Edo stayed in Lecco and somehow still managed to influence an absurd percentage of what came out of my speakers. Hardcore remained mine even while techno arrived and took over whole rooms in my head. Matrix. Global Nation. Hardcore Nation. Ricky Le Roy. Mario Più. Franchino. Zicky. Kitikonti. Picotto. Endymion. Stunned Guys. Records, CDs, MP3s, flyers, lists. Tests. Tens. Tea. Four biscuits. Trains. Yuri’s hand in mine. Dad asking questions while pretending not to investigate. Mom noticing everything without needing to ask.

Maybe that’s the year.

Not one transformation.

Several lives learning to coexist.

Remember me, Eclipse.