Discovering Columbus

What does astronaut Neil Armstrong, seven American presidents, actress Doris Day, golfer Jack Nicklaus, director Steven Spielberg and Dean Martin have in common? They all call Ohio their birthplace.

Planing into Ohio's Port Columbus International Airport is like riding a breeze. It was an easy hour and half jet ride from New York's La Guardia. Nevermind that this is probably going to be my smallest jet ever, the trip was still uneventful and easy and it seemed as though I had beamed from the city to the suburbs in a wink.

Pretty much like the rest of America, the expanse of freeways and roads link up the cities and places to each other. I remembered California and how it was unusual for someone NOT to own a car. It is certainly NOT New York where people walk to get anywhere.

Big houses with frontage of trees and flower beds and swing-sets for children. Each driveway has at least one car, some even 4, probably depending on how many of those who lived in the house drove. Backyards with no fences, tree-lined streets, porches, cul d'sacs and picket fences.





Big high school campuses, almost the size of some universities in other countries, I realized, with baseball diamonds, basketball courts, track fields and centrally located in neighborhoods that raised families. Strip malls with drive-ins: Taco Bell, McDonalds, Wendy's and my newly discovered favorite: White Castle's with their mini-hamburgers. Chinese restaurants that required pick-up because delivery would have to take longer than 10 minutes from time of call, which is the Manhattan standard.



Neighbors who talked to each other and who invited each other to the parties at home. Kids who ran up to the house next door to brag about a new pet, ask about visitors and just to say hi. A certain degree of trust that does not come naturally to neighbors within a building in the city.

Yet this is a city also with the usual skyscapers but also the country where vast acres are planted to corn and beans. There are malls that have the same merchandise that they are selling in Manhattan, just less tax. Where corn is a dozen to $2 while it's $1 for 3 in New York City, which is fine as I won't be able to finish 12 anyways no matter how much I like corn.





What I liked about Columbus most though, aside from little Josh giving it a whole new meaning is that part of life which had momentarily slipped me away: family life. I had been engrossed in the single life - of living alone, taking care of myself, having friends to hang out with. Although I have thought about it and have seriously discussed it, I have never comfronted the possibility of creating this kind of world for myself and someone special (read next blog).

I have discovered this city called Columbus and in a way it has discovered me, too. Now I am contemplating things I haven't. Although I'd like to think of myself still pretty much a city girl, a weekend immersion into domesticity is refreshing break.

Flying back to the East Coast, I couldn't help but notice how residences came closer the nearer we got to New York. An hour after taking off from Ohio, my plane broke through clouds and flew over the familiar view of the city island so familiar to me. I heave a sigh and couldn't help smiling to myself: this my home.


Popular Posts