[ Matt smiles--fond, touched. The circumstances of this particular move mean he largely missed out on the well wishes and advice of family acquaintances, and it strikes him as a kind gesture. ]

You're fine. "I'm here for it." [ A teasing lilt to the phrase. Matt shakes his head gently. ] I hear you, though. I think urban planning is more grounded than a lot of fields, but there's also like, a lot of received wisdom about the best way to do something that isn't necessarily accurate.

[ He watches the tremoring in Daniel's fingers, the way it sets bubbles sparkling in the glass. He's not concerned, really; Daniel hasn't spilled a drop so far. But he's interested by the small physical particulars that set people apart. The way they occupy space and move through it. ]

Cities have a lot of problems. But I think at their best ...

You'll run into exactly the person you need to see on that day, whether you know them or not. Or find a new business on a block you've walked a hundred times. Or see a fucking coyote. You could look at a city as a miracle multiplier. The chances of something interesting dialed up to the density of the population.