There’s other places like home

We moved from NY with two dozen bagels we intended to freeze about a month ago. We arrived to a house we’re renting in a new subdivision in the unbelieveably sweltering heat of North Carolina (seriously, 97 degrees at 3a?). We met new folks in our new congregation, moved closer to my sister and some of my other cousins (namely 1, 3 and 8 – I number my cousins – see previous posts).

We came back for a religious convention this week to NY. Not too hot here, able to see our parents and other cousins back here as well as the old congregation here that gave us quite the send off. Yet, this is no longer home.

It wasn’t easy getting down there. My car got flooded the day we were supposed to leave, not sure of what we were to do (leave with just Mujer’s car or stay behind a week for my car to either be fixed or totaled). Then a couple from our old congregation – who incidentally got another car that day – lent their car to us. I guess they wanted us to leave after all (jk).

Coming back is now weird, even for the fun-filled responsibility week that we have in store for us. Even the fresh salt bagel with lox tasted foreign in its deliciousness. Maybe it’s the one bathroom in my parents house that’s the issue; in fact, it has always been the issue.

But such is life I suppose. I do believe leaving NY was the best decision we could’ve made (only Steve Martin in his $90 non-refundable Comedy Master Class has said otherwise).

Coming back, other than bumper to bumper traffic on the Goethals bridge Sunday at 12:30a, has been good (but also weird like I said before). It was nice though to come back and see our cousins we missed in the month we left. I will miss seeing them as often and invite them to come to North Carolina and move to a subdivision near us to be able to enjoy the 47 degree Centigrade heat that we love oh so much. Also returning the borrowed car to our friends and seeing others from our old congregation was great.

In the end though, home is North Carolina now. A gentleman in my new congregation helped me to appreciate why with this story:

A family stops at a gas station and asks the gas station attendant about the town up ahead were they plan on moving to. He asks:

“What was the town like where you lived before?”

“It was such a nice town, everyone was nice, greeted each other, did nice things for you, and everyone was very neighborly.”

“That’s exactly how this town is”, he replied.

About an hour later a second family stops at the gas station and tell the attendant they are moving to the town up ahead and asked him about the town. He asks:

“What was the town like where you lived before?”

“Awful. Everyone was just awful. No one helped you when you needed it, everyone gossipped behind your back, everyone was just plain old mean.”

“That’s exactly how this town is”, he replied.

There are other places like home, when you make them your home – at least according to Lightbulb.