My wife and I are about to return to Omaha from San Diego. Darn, where did the time go? I’m going to miss friends
and family, surfing, walks on the beach, and Mexican food.
When I was a
teenager, we rarely ventured away from the beach. In fact, we didn’t believed
there was life east of Pacific Coast Highway. We called the inhabitants of that
vast wasteland inlanders … or worse. A few of my friends became involved with
inland girls, but for the most part, we had plenty on our side of the divide. (I
admit my wife came from east of PCH, but she grew up west of Hawthorne
Boulevard, the next thoroughfare in our neck of the woods. That’s almost
native. Besides, she put up with me for all these years, so I can't hold her paganism against her.)
In my youth, if someone had grabbed me on the beach and told
me I would live in Omaha, I would have hushed them in fear that one of my
friends might overhear. Omaha is in the exact center of the country. As far you
can get from an ocean or large body of water. The surf stinks. And yet … I’m looking
forward to going home. We have a nice home and I’m eager to see my daughter’s
family and our Midwest friends. And focus more diligently on writing. When I get there I’ll play with the grandkids, eat
at our favorite restaurants, bring home great pizza, watch the seasons blossom all
over the place, enjoy watching the kids sports games, and shoot untold rounds
of golf. Oh, wait, I don’t golf. Never mind, that was someone else. But I do
look forward to eating at the clubhouse.
In truth, I discovered there’s abundant life in the
heartland. I enjoy Omaha, and besides, if I need a fix, I can just jump on a
plane and be back in San Diego in three hours. Thank goodness for Boeing.
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| Omaha, Nebraska |