Claire

Queens, New York

"Do you serve Irish Coffees?" we ask the bartender, Claire, feeling our San Francisco self-consciousness about asking for "Irish" anything.

"Oh no," she says, but agrees to make us hot toddies. With the air ripe with snow (the fluff falls just two hours later) our California bones are cold.

"I feel really good about America," Claire tells me. "I moved here from Dublin to build my career as a graphic designer. I'll work here for a few years, then go back to Ireland." 

"When did you move?" I ask. 

"November."

"Oooooooh."

"Yeah, it was really cold."