Not From Around Here

I've lived in this very small southern city for 37 years, but I'm not from around here and neither is anybody else. Population here tentupled in the last fifty years. We live in California, whereas the rest of the state is in the south. The only rednecks I know are imported and playing at construction.

This, indeed, is a lovely city. Not just for its great jobs and low poverty, low crime and no fear, beautiful view of valleys and mountains, terrific outdoor recreation, and lack of traffic congestion... but also because of its people. Not only do we have many outstanding citizen, but we seem to lack the large mass of idiots pervasive in most societies. Oh, we do have the occasional bigot and bully, but at least an order of magnitude lower than other places. People are genuine and sincerely nice, and there is comparatively little animosity or strife. I have true happiness and a feeling of comfort which is not true outside the city.

For example, a while ago I tried to buy me a gentleman's farm in the surrounding area. Tried several times, actually. Realized that the local country bumpkins were too much for me... at squeezing more money and at neglecting to say the truth (like the land won't pass a perk test for septic tank).

Then there's the neighbors who have a meth lab, the boys that have hunted in that land for generations, and the bubbas that have nothing to do and are jealous, spiteful and destructive... while you work.

So I gave it up, decided to stay in this wonderful city and be glad that I'm not from around here.

- © 2008 by Willy

P.S., yes, I'm still a machine person versus a people person.
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