New to the city, I’d moved into my apartment, unpacked my meager belongings and was just catching my breath. I didn’t know what exactly I was going to do, but it felt like the start of an adventure. I was a horny guy with my whole future ahead of me.

The apartment was only a modest studio, but it felt like my own kingdom, nonetheless. The building was halfway down a narrow alleyway, and there were trees on either side of my one broad window. I’d noticed when moving in I’d only had a view of one window in the opposite building. My place was screened in from everything else.

Restless that night, I made myself a cup of tea — marveling that was my mug and my stove. I felt independent. Free. Some part of me wanted to go out and prowl, seeking nameless escapades.

But... Read More