This Is My Stop

Stop Request

My husband and I took the U Bahn out of Vienna to a friend’s home in the suburbs. Figuring out transportation abroad can be a tricky puzzle. Careful observation of locals’ behavior and familiar hints like a word that starts with “halt” helped us figure out that this button was a “Stop Request,” before having to ask Google Translate.

In my writing life, I’ve decided that I’ve reached a stop where I want to get off and spend some time. But to do that, I have to press the button. T...