My Anniversary

Ten years ago today at 2:30 pm, I crossed the Texas-Oklahoma border in a little U-Haul truck on my way to New York. I had lived in Texas up until then and was very happy to head north to new and exciting adventures.
I've had lots of new and exciting adventures since then. It's been fun.

I know I've talked about growng up in Texas a lot, but today is significant for me.

Texas is a great place to visit and it's a great place to go home to. I wouldn't want to live there again, though. I've grown too used to the clement summers in Chicago to ever go back.

But the longer I've been away from Texas, the more "different" it seems when I go back for visits with my family.

First of all, the people are mighty friendly down there. I don't think Chicagoans are unfriendly, it's just that Texans seem genuinely pleased to engage in a conversation and smile more readily.

Life is just easier down in Texas. Grocery stores are less crowded, everything is wide open, and the prices for just about everything are much lower.

But the heat!! Oh, god, the heat!

Texans are fatter, I will say that. It's because you can't walk anywhere down there. Everything's too far from everything else and it's too hot to do any walking. So, they go from air-conditioned dwellings to air-conditioned automobiles which take them right up to other air-conditioned places.

There are lots of bugs down there too. Lots and lots of bugs. Chiggers, mosquitoes, june-bugs, stink-bugs, lots of spiders and these flying cockroaches that begin with a jump and then (surprise!) fly right up in your face.

My high school graduating class of '77 is having their 30-year reunion next weekend. I won't be going. They're having it outside.
In the heat!