Dela....where??

Last week I made a trip down to my old country home, Delaware. When I used to drive down in the past few years from New York, I would always be surprised to see a new batch of environmentally-wrecking, newly-hatched condominiums along the way, or a new strip mall or some other giant store with a hideous facade that wrecked the bucolic coastal landscape. But on the cold ride down this time, there was none of that. It was almost bizarre that there had been nothing new built, like something was wrong; the empty streets of planned neighborhoods still sat desolately by the highway as they had a year or two ago. Seeing this, I was glad to see that the housing bubble's bursting had finally stopped the runaway development of plastic mansions, yet it also reinforced my recent revelation that nothing changes at home.

First and foremost, I need to make an apology. I'm sorry to those in Sussex County who may read this and get offended, but by no means should you take this personally, as this is based on my own perceptions, and while it may solidify my pretension, this is not an attack on all my good friends and family who still reside there.

As I said about lukewarm receptions in a previous posting, I didn't expect anything ostentatious returning to Delaware. Save my visit to my father and three friends of mine, Delaware's receptions were cold...McMansionless neighborhoods, snow that no one cared about removing from the roads, and shuns from old school friends.

Probably still unplowed as you read this

First let me say that it was absolutely great to see my father and Jeanne again after so long. It was too soon to leave them, and I must say that such hospitality is unmatched even by Turkish standards. We ate some great food, went shopping, made Pfeffernuss together, slid the truck around in the snow, joked, shot pool...all of it was great. Home, no different than when I had left, but this time, the lack of change was good. I had a fantastic week with them, so if you're reading this Dad, thanks so very very much for the great time.

Snowy boardwalk

Wintry Atlantic


Merry Christmas, Kyle

So I went to my new old high school while I was back home. Wow, what a mistake that was. I thought it would be nice to see some of my old classmates and teachers and the "progress" they had been making with their lives. But when I got there it was clear that the people who I knew and used to be friends with hadn't gone far beyond Indian River HS, if at all. Nor were they even polite upon seeing me, let alone interested in making conversation with me. The biggest culprit of all was my old band teacher, Mark Marvel, whose inability to have a focused conversation with someone is worthy of a gold medal and who, unremarkably, still can't see past the perimeter of his ulcer-ridden paunch. As I left I was embarrassed to think that I used to look up to him, and that I had imagined that anyone would have reciprocated my interest in seeing old classmates.

But I can't speak for all of my old friends. Both my friends Woody and Nathan were happy to see me and spend time with me, so I am grateful to still have good friends in my old neck of the woods. And I was also pleasantly surprised to see Christina, a friend of mine from high school and university (seriously, Latin? That's way cool!). So all in all it was redeeming to see that I still had some friends back in Delaware and that they were doing well for themselves. I hope to see them again soon.

Ironically, this was a warm, friendly reception

I left with the feeling that every time I come back, I know that place less and less. The joke "Dela-where?" has new meaning.....where is my old home, and all those who I used to know? But it still is a home to me thanks to my family and handful of friends. Thanks everyone, for making my holiday week in Delaware a pleasant one.