CLEVELAND, OHIO

I grew up with Cleveland as our Big Neighbor to the East, and spent time there, visiting relatives and such...I never thought I'd live there.

As it developed, I had an opportunity to work for a man who had an apartment building on Cleveland's East Side and, as I was unemployed, took the job. I spent four depressing years living on the corner of 81st and Superior, dodging crack heads and bangers, and wondering how people lived like this.

One Sunday morning, I walked out my front door, planning to buy some coffee. As I stood there, gathering my early-morning wits, I noticed a large vehicle rounding the corner. Behold, it was nothing less than Lolly the Trolley, with a load of tourists carrying a load of cameras, as if they were in Yellowstone.

Jinkies.

Large cities are psychotic, and seem to have a similar effect upon their residents. It'd take me days to describe all the ways that Cleveland pegs the nutso meter, but I've neither time nor inclination. Remember, it's a cool place, but repeated exposure can cause cancer in laboratory equipment.

Life here in Whitney is slower, and the people are merely eccentric, rather than psychotic...just looking at all that sky is worth the price of admission.

I DO miss some things, but they're just things; I've gained so much more here.