Minneapolis

I just found out that I have to attend a conference in Minneapolis. I’m so excited!!

I’ve never been to Minneapolis and as I kid, my dream was to live there one day.

Basically, it’s all Mary Tyler Moore’s fault.

You see, I grew up in a town of 1,700 people in South Texas where it’s always hot and humid. The nearest city was San Antonio, eighty miles away.

I loved going to the big city of San Antonio, Houston, or Dallas and it was always so depressing to come back to this little bitty town whose culture revolved Friday night football games.

It was always hot and humid there. The school wasn’t air conditioned, and our house, only barely. I hated the heat. I hated it so much that I used to pay my brother a major portion of my allowance just to mow my half of the lawn. We had a good thing going until mom wised up to our unsanctioned arrangement.

Once when I was in the eighth grade, it snowed. It was incredible. Snow! Just like the rest of the civilized world got to experience. For one glorious morning, I got to walk to school in the snow just like Mary walked to work in downtown Minneapolis. God, I loved it!

So, I’d watch the Mary Tyler Moore show and would be so jealous of her. She was this hip, single young woman, out on her own, living the big “city life” in Minneapolis where it snowed all the time. She’d wear these really cool clothes, walk among the big buildings downtown, and meet Rhoda for lunch a lot.

Mary loved her life in Minneapolis so much that she just couldn’t contain her happiness. She ended up throwing her hat in the air with unbridled glee.

I wanted to live there someday. I really did!

Life in Minneapolis was everything mine wasn’t.

So, I get to go to Minneapolis now. And no, I’m not going to throw my hat in the air while I’m downtown. Geez! I wonder how many tourists are seen doing that?

. . . Well, I might. . . . Just a little.

It would be awfully nice to meet Rhoda for lunch though.