Longing for City Life
I live in a place that some would call a city. Having grown up outside Baltimore and having spent a very large portion of my teenage years in Baltimore…..this is not a city. It’s more of a large town. I know that some of the more outlying areas consider this large town a “big city” and I imagine they just haven’t been able to really travel much. Or perhaps they have no desire to.
Having grown up in that environment has left me with one understanding. You can never take the city out of a city girl. I love roughing it (even though I am a novice). I enjoy visiting my inlaws farm on the mountainside. I sleep well there since you can’t hear any hustle and bustle. But. Every once in awhile I just really miss the city. I miss being able to use mass transit and get around without the need of a car. I miss the crowds of people walking to and from this building to that one. Part of me thinks that my girls will never know the joy of sitting on the stoop and watching the neighborhood boys riding by on their bikes or skate boards and doing what they can to show off just how masculine they are. Or that my son will never be that boy showing off for an audience of cute girls. With Baltimore, I miss the smells of roast pit beef, steamed crabs, and the crowds at the Skipjacks game cheering on a good hockey fight (now I am just showing my age!). I even miss the old Oriole stadium that I used to go cheer on Eddie Murray and the Ripkin Boys. And I do mean the OLD stadium that was replaced during my teens.
I miss the drive through liquor stores. I miss the bowling alleys on every street corner and Friendly’s ice cream on Saturday nights. There are lots of really awesome things about the South that I love, but it still cannot replace where I was born and raised.
I am going home soon. It feels weird to say that because I moved to the south in August 1993. But no matter how long I have been gone, Baltimore is home. And I need to be there. To do those things that I miss so much just to reconnect and move forward.
I know exactly how you feel! I’m not from Baltimore, we only lived in the general area for 4 years. But we are longing to go home as well. I’d move back in a heartbeat if either one of us had a job… I also miss the feeling of family we had in our Pagan *community* there… something that I’ve found sorely lacking here in the Sand Hills.
Vickie´s last [type] ..Ten Things on Thursdays
It’s always when you first move away that’s the hardest. I had a hard time assimilating to the area here and people weren’t exactly kind when they heard my yankee accent (which I am told I still have a trace of LOL). I stuck it out though but I had very good reasons to not go back. Now I can go visit and all is well.
You’re heading up here!! When?! Email me please as I would love to squeeze in a coffee.
Kat´s last [type] ..My Stuff Mondays: How to personalize a spell
Email sent!
I’ve never been to Baltimore but your post is making me want to visit! I can see why you miss it, it does sound like a fantastic place. I’m glad to hear you are heading back. It sounds like a much needed trip back.
Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired´s last [type] ..1st Day of School
It certainly can be lots of fun! And it’s rich with history, that alone is well worth a trip