Tired of Living in This One-Horse Town

Did you ever want to get away from a place so badly that you started each day thinking about what to move and what to leave? Living here was never a choice; it was simply something we fell into. The jobs were here when we were looking. We looked elsewhere, but when the children came along, it was too convenient to stay put. We gave up trying to move while they were growing up, but the desire was still there. Now that they are grown and gone, we're renewing our commitment to get out of this place.

I never wanted to come back to my hometown after college. I hated growing up here, hated the way people acted here, hated the fact that this was a cultural vacuum. But there were good jobs here at the beginning and we became complacent. Now, I literally feel the brain cells dying from disuse and lack of stimulation. Ever try to talk politics or literature with people who are probably married to their own cousins?

It wasn't always like that here. This community used to be populated with engineers and business professionals; now most people are doing good to even have a job. Mediocrity has become the accepted norm and we cater to the lowest common denominator. In other words, we are dumbing down to reach the masses. Quite honestly, I can't stand it any longer!

In my job, I see parents who care little about what their children do. It's not an issue if the kids do poorly in school, get into trouble, backtalk, use drugs, get pregnant, lack any type of motivation at all. It's all fine as long as they don't bother Mom or Dad. Better yet, they hope the schools and community organizations do the work of raising the kids for them. The complete opposite are the parents who live vicariously through their child's athletic endeavors. They believe their kid is the next Heisman winner or Olympic gold medalist, and they have the kid believing it too. Few, if any, of these kids will ever play D-3 sports, let alone be a sports star. And, none of them will do anything to change the possibilities except talk about it.

Others have told me that it's the same no matter where you go. I don't believe that. No place is as provincial as the Mid-Ohio Valley. Even if if is, I at least want the chance to find out for myself.