PLATFORM : No Longer Dreamin’

My parents always talked about California as if it was some mystical place. A place that offered plenty of fun and money. From my home in St. Louis, I could understand the lure. Whether it was watching all those TV shows or the Rose Bowl, people seemed to be happy. They all had jobs. The sun always seemed to be shining in California.

After I arrived, my dreams and illusions of California quickly changed. The sun shines, but only on a few people. If there was a time when everybody had a piece of the California dream, it certainly isn’t the case now. Sure, there’s work, but the pay is so lousy and so few jobs, it seemed I’d spend most of my time on interviews or reading the want ads.

I’m not so sure of California’s future. I’ll miss the weather, the nightlife, the beach and all that other stuff that makes California special. But like one of my friends said before I came out here, “Steve, it’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”