It took months to figure it out, but once I did, it was a constant marvel. The Crystal City Underground was a part of my life for five years, and now it will be no more, at least in its funky, mom-and-pop style.

When I worked across the street from one of its entrances, I would dash into the underground to mail a package, pick up lunch or check out a library book. The maze of tunnels also came in handy on rainy or snowy days, when I could walk warm and dry from Metro to within feet of my office.

But now, I’ve learned, no leases will be renewed in the buildings that comprised the underground (though most of it is above ground, it does give off a subterranean vibe). It’s been likened to a futuristic invention, but to me it always seemed more like the past, a place where you could get your shoes repaired and chat with the cobbler while it was happening.

Amazon has moved into the neighborhood and may have plans for the underground’s future. All I know is that, for now, one more bit of real, hands-on life is disappearing from view.