Hope no one here gets sick of my "man, things are different in Casper from Los Angeles", even though they're all "It's better in Wyoming" not "well, back HOME we did things differently (better)" like I imagine some ex-pats from Kali say. I just point them out because I'm astonished we didn't move here years ago.
One is people driving ATVs on the street. I dig that. In
Nanny-Fornia, that would be illegal, so is riding
anything without a helmet. (And having your dog on the back, as I've seen, would be a third charge on your ticket.)
Another thing is people speaking their mind. While it can get a little disorienting to know the entire medical history of someone you just met (and their family), I'm amazed how much people offer about themselves and their thoughts. I already know more about my neighbors in a week (and I like my neighbors more) than I knew about my neighbors of
years in Nanny-Fornia. People here ain't pushy, they're just friendly and want to tell you about themselves. And don't seem to be fishing to know much back. Maybe they are, but if I only tell what I'm comfortable with, no one seems to care.
And
FALs at
sporting goods stores! ? I can't believe the guns for sale here.
Not just at gun stores, but at
basketball & fishing stores! I previously somehow thought that battle rifles was something favored by y'all only. Man...I didn't know joe six pack gets 'em to hunt antelope too!
We were astonished when we went to get insurance and the insurance lady had this conversation with us:
Insurance lady: "So which one of you will be the primary name on the account?"
Me: (without asking my wife.) "That will be me."
Insurance lady: "That's great. I think it's so sad these days that more men don't take the lead in a marriage. It's part of what's wrong with the world....."
She talked for about three uninterrupted minutes about women's place as an equal but support to the man. She quoted the Bible. She talked about sisification destroying all that is good, about the good ole days, etc.
I just nodded my head. I agreed with most of what she was saying, but couldn't say much, I was a little too in shock, in a good way.
In California, she would be fired for saying all that....because it would be contrary to her employer's opinions, or possibly even a violation of state law. I dug it. She was saying it within earshot of her boss, 15 feet away through an open door. And she wasn't whispering.
It's nice to live in America again. I'm 45 now and I haven't lived in America since I was 18.
MWD
p/s I cannot hear hip hop from inside my house here. Hallelujah!
