Today is another Corinne day on my calendar. I don’t quite know when I began marking these as “Corinne” days instead of “Palm Tree” days, but my Sunday walks with the pup now feel like strolls with Corinne that just happen to feature a cute border collie mix. It feels strange to think that blackmail was technically the start of something that I now feel like I’ve been doing forever, even though it’s been only a few weeks. I imagine this is how childhood friends feel walking together, talking animatedly without a clear thesis in mind, throwing multiple conversational balls into the air, all at once, and picking them up whenever feels natural. Sometimes days later. I’ve been looking forward to these walks more and more.

“So, did you give any more thought to McGill?” she says as soon as she spots me waiting in the lobby, fast-forwarding past the hello, chitchat, and any other topic. Her usual pink beanie has been replaced by a wool-knit seasonal version of the same thing, this one a hotter shade of pink.

“Good morning to you, too,” I say as I hold the door and Palm Tree darts out, snout already to the ground and pulling Corinne behind him.

The February air provides the right chill as we step onto the busy weekend sidewalk. The city is orange today, beaming with an almost abnormal amount of sunlight. The fruit in stands on Amsterdam Avenue all looks juicy and fruit bowl ready.

“Try steadying your hold on the leash, so he’s not wavering so much,” I note.

She follows the instruction and turns back to me as soon as Palm Tree steadies. “So, you want to interview for McGill: yes or no?”

“Man, small talk is not your forte, huh?”

“I don’t believe in it as a lifestyle choice, no.”

I sigh and answer her question. “Maybe.”

If I’m being honest, I have been thinking about McGill more and more. Since pulling up those designs for Corinne, I’ve been finding myself revisiting them on my own. In bed, on the subway, or at the dog park. The designers in question have all graduated from McGill by now and are a bit all over, all in different facets of the industry. None of them appears hungry or destitute on their social media pages. One of them just did a show in Atlanta, and another one is making waves in the Japanese menswear scene, which looks bonkers with styles and designs that won’t hit the United States for another few seasons at least. It’s pretty clear: it all started with McGill.

“Well, for the record, I think it’s a great idea.”

“You do?”

“McGill is a fantastic school. A lot of people go up to Canada for college these days. It’s way cheaper, for one. And for two, their curriculum is very competitive. It’s an international experience at a fraction of the price.”