Saturday, September 27, 2003

originally written on friday afternoon...

:: I, the suburbanite ::

I'm currently driving down highway 49, just inside Alberta, and not too far past Dawson Creek. I've got the laptop sitting on my lap. It won't be long now before we get to Peace River. I'm not sure what I think of the whole thing. Up until a few hours ago this little trip felt just like a vacation - but it's obviously not. I'm the only one not coming back. This part of the country seems nice enough - but it will take some getting used to. No mountains, no ocean, no big cities. It's just fields and yellow-leaved trees.

There are some people who classify themselves as country-folk. I count my grandpa among them - he's driving ahead of us right now and really seems to love this area - he wants to come back with his trailer and canoe. There are other people who are more big city folk - bright lights, big buildings, traffic. I don't count myself as one of these people. I love Vancouver but still could never see myself living right downtown. No, I decided somewhere along this trip, I am neither country nor city. I'm a surburbanite. And I love it. There are a lot of people I know, most actually, who's goal it is to get far away from whatever city or town it is that they currently are in. I never fully understood why that is, although I suppose the allure of a big exciting place like L.A, New York or London would draw more than a fair share of people to it. But as much as I'd one day like to visit far off places, I really have no desire to live there. Call me a simple guy if you want, call me afraid of change too if you feel like it, but I know what I like. And I'll probably spend the next few months or years trying to get back there.

But for now, it's off to the North on some great adventure of my own. It may not have the allure of an L.A, New York or London, but it'll have to do for now. Until I can get back to whatever city or town it is that I formerly was in.

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