One of my coz has been trolling me on line for a while, he keeps poking me about still living in California/L.A. An it has come to me just now why I do live here. It is because back in the Fall/Winter of 1969 I found out that L.A. is my home.
First some back story:
I had wanted to go back to Norman Oklahoma to go to O.U. For collage. I’d always thought of it as “home”. Most of my dad’s family lived in the Oklahoma City area. That was where my Gandad and GradMom had lived. But when I got back there I found out some sad facts of life. First all my aunts and uncles just ignored me. Not once was I invited for Sunday dinner, I was even ignored at Thanks Giving (spent the entire Holliday in a dorm room). While at O.U. I found out just how insular “Sooners” are.
I was never invited to join into anything…not a “bull session”, not a study group, not even going to a football game. Nothing. I can only say it was because I did not dress like Sooners nor Speak like Sooners. I will also say it was that I was shy, I always waited to be invited and never tried to put myself forward. Mostly because I did the pushing forwarded very very badly. Also it was years later that I discovered that when I enter into a group of people I do a “Threat Assessment” which can be very off putting.
So what I have lurned today is I live in L.A. because California in general and L.A. in particular is a very open and welcoming place. Just because someone is dressed deferent, or talks different or looks different doesn’t faze Angalenios. They take it as it comes.
I am a Californian and Angalenio. I am also an Okie, so there to all you sanctimonious Sooners.😈