Adventures in a Fly Over State

We’re back from Cleveland. We survived the holidays and the plane trip with the kids. The kids were champs in the airport. Ian was nervous on the plane and, after some whining, he was passed over the seat to Steve. Sitting on Daddy’s lap calmed him down and all was well. He and Jonah and another little boy discovered that if they got their little bums on the edge of the baggage carousel just right, they would get a ride around the baggage claim area. Yanked off with some finger wagging.

On Friday night, we got Ian to sleep by 9:00. Jonah watched Shrek 2 with his grandparents and we went to meet Steve’s old buddies. Ross picked us up and parked right in front of a smoky bar, Edison’s in Tremont. Cleveland, where bars still stink.

Eric, Ross, Jimbo, Matt, the other Steve, Jeff. All the same guys he’s known since Kindergarten. Lots of jokes about their old band and some gossip about recent events. Most of the guys still live around Cleveland, except for my Steve and Jeff, though they still make it back to Cleveland quite often.

There is a certain spontaneity out in the heartland that you don’t get around here. There’s the simplicity of driving into the city and the ease of a parking spot.

Homes are also so much cheaper. Steve’s cousin just sold his huge home for under $200,000. Cheap homes mean you can afford to have a life outside of your job. Or even not have a job at all and just spend a year writing a novel, like Jimbo. The other Steve has the time to do standup on the weekends. Eric is running marathons. Ross runs an art gallery with his dad in a great space that would be unthinkably expensive in New York City.

I’m never leaving the New York City area. Too much family here and, when I do get a parking place, there’s nothing like a stroll down Central Park West. But I guess there are some pluses to life in the flyover states.