Every Londoner must have a story, I was told, but it’s not true. Some people retract when they come in contact with this city, like salt on anemone; they become lesser versions, and pine for the country. But more often than not, just the word “London” was potent and stirred up great emotion. I saw people’s faces twist into disgust, grin unabashedly, wince or sigh, roll their eyes or reminisce. London meant new beginning, hellhole, wonderland, too big, too foul, safety