A Place Away From the City

Oh, to get to a place. You know, that place where the grass is green and never needs cutting or watering, and a place to live that is shiny where all the appliances work just as intended. Away from the madding, (well in today’s “new normal,” maddened) crowds.

Not really an escape, but, well, yes, it is an escape. After the years scrabbling to get by, keep food in my belly, and the wolf from the door, I am ready for some peace. I want to work, make some dough. Not too hard but have a purpose every day. And I want to play music without being part of the scene. I want to drive on a road where there aren’t seventy-five other fools next to me, in front, and behind on the six lanes of traffic of the city freeway. Two lanes is comfortable, and when looking in the rear view showing a lonely pick up half a mile behind, could qualify as a traffic jam.

That place. And it’s out there. I don’t need a big house, hell, I don’t need a house at all. A late model travel trailer with A/C and all the new-fangled appliances would suffice just fine. And a studio to go to to work on music or business, or just a place to go to away from home.

I could easily see my self renting a space in an RV camp somewhere in Nevada, away from the city. I like the desert and if it gets too cold during the winter for me, I could hop in my trusty one ton and pull my home to a RV park in the Las Vegas area, or even Arizona.

There are ties that keep me close to Sacramento, and while I could also see my self living in the hills of Arkansas, or the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, that puts a crimp in being close if need be to my family, especially in the “new normal.” But I suppose I could learn to like to fly on airplanes, especially since they are limiting numbers of passengers right now, and then it’s few hours away.

I’m not looking, make no mistake about it, to get off the grid. I like having Internet, and electricity, heat and A/C. I like shiny cars and trucks should be at least serviceable in my opinion with operating air conditioning, (I’m seeing a pattern, one of many, I’m sure). But I’m pretty done with the city life, and especially Califorlornia, where I have been located alive 48 years now, except for a brief foray to the coast of Oregon.

California is a beautiful place, but the humanity seems uglier each year. It’s all mixed up with politics and, well … people. And it’s full. I think there is something to be said about the theory that reaching the saturation point of people to an area causes the demise of the inhabitants. If there is such a theory. And if there wasn’t, there is now. Carry the torch.

I spent some time in a really small place, a collection of about five houses in a few square miles out in the middle of the country, and I loved the silence, even though it scared me some at first. I had lived on a major boulevard in the city before, and the silence for the first few months was un-nerving. But after the break in period I was really at peace.

I don’t mean to say there was no noise. I had two little boys and a dog, and there were neighbors. We could hear the occasional Tom Petty blaring from across the street, but country folks retire early. They have a long way to drive to the city for work, or they have a big job in the country that starts at sun up. So objectionable noise was not a problem ever. And when it was silent it was enormous, late at night sitting out on the porch, no traffic no talking, and the only sounds are that of the other creatures that don’t walk on two legs and take showers inside.

So, yea, a RV park at a little ho-dunk village would be ideal for me. It would lessen the noise and… you know, all of that, to barely a whisper. It’s calling me.

There is no perfect place though, and sadly, for the climate and beauty no place is better than this god forsaken land of the nuts and berries. But I like the desert. And the solitude there is astounding, and a spot within an hour of civilization would suit me fine.

The other spots I spoke of still have an appeal. They are hotter than my liking, but as long as I have a good ole A/C, that’s livable. I don’t do cold so well, so the Arkansas mountain areas might be uncomfortable, but I always have heat if I have A/C. And since N. Arkansas is dotted with small and medium sized towns every few miles, there’s always going to be music making. I can make music by myself, but it is twice the fun to share it with others pickin’ and grinnin’ with me.

The Gulf Coast of Mississippi is also a siren for me. Ocean Springs is a gorgeous little place. I’m not a real water guy, but I enjoy the sea. And they have weather. As long as I don’t get blown away, I like wild weather. It’s powerful and makes the silence of silence even more inviting. And hurricanes are predictable, and I can tow my home 500 miles in a day if I need to. But, it’s 2500 miles form Sacramento, just have to steel myself for that.

So all I need is for my business to start making some dough again. I need a trailer and a little car, and a slip to back into. So really this little essay is just a reminder to me, to get my ass in gear. Silence is golden and it’s just right over there, not too far.