The Note

by Alafair Burke

Curious about whether other people had gone through the same kind of personality shift, she came upon a published study where the researchers found that, early in the pandemic, there was a counterintuitive decrease in neurotic tendencies that contribute to stress. But in the second and third years after the initial onset, the researchers found significant increases in neuroticism and declines in the characteristics that help people to successfully navigate social situations.

But as she had learned during her first year of teaching, there’s a reason some professors never read their evaluations. Seventy-eight students might love you, but it’s the words of the two critics that sting.

She finally gave up and scanned terrestrial radio until she landed on a Fleetwood Mac song. Stevie’s dreams were unwinding and love was just a state of mind by the time she spotted the train pulling into the East Hampton station.