johns-apple-jeans-apple

Memory Cloth — First Week in Madison

Recently divorced I moved to Madison to go to school. A book at the library had said UW had MFA degrees and Textiles as a major. Perfect.

Monday I arrived in town with all my stuff in a VW bus. Wandering around the first day I found an apartment with Lake Monona on one side and Orton Park on the other. My plan was to live here a year to get residency for UW.

Tuesday I was hired as the night guard for the Madison Art Center. It was in Lincoln School then.

Wednesday I went up to UW to find out the rules for applying. The Art Department said you can get an MFA, but not in Textiles. So I went to the Textile Department and they said you can get an MS, but not an MFA. I had great transcripts and rec letters, so they told me about the Legislative Tuition Remission, so that I wouldn’t have to wait for residency.

Thursday I went door to door at the Capital until I found a legislator who hadn’t given away his tuition remission. Then I went back to UW and was accepted into UW to start in the fall.

Friday I started dating a man I’d met that week.

What an amazing place. I loved Madison.

made February 7 2006 recalling June 1-7 1975

Leslee Nelson