She collected maps, papered living room, dining room, bedroom walls and in some cases parts of ceilings with their soft pinks, greens and blues. She laminated a topographical map of Northern Italy and installed it as a backsplash behind the kitchen sink, covered the kitchen table with maps of the Moon, Jupiter and Mars, protected them with clear contact paper and fastened them in place with packing tape. The maps were a comfort. She found it helpful, the ability they gave her to pinpoint a location for breakfast, for example, Just East of the Great Red Spot. She had boxes of maps from every yard sale, old bookstore, and antique mart she visited. There were enough to cover everything in the house—or even replace the existing maps for a change of scenery—but she didn’t. She was fine, right where she was.

Bio: Melanie Dunbar