Local Color

Just about everyone I know from, well, any state above Virginia, are in awe and praise of fall foliage. The local "color" of the state has changed from green to vibrant reds, yellows and oranges. Fall always was a gorgeous, though short, time of year. I remember it well and sometimes miss it.

Currently, I don't miss that local color. I miss the local "color" of big Northern cities.

I was walking down a side street today at lunch, and in spite of the person wearing a tank top and shorts jumping rope on the sidewalk, I was momentarily struck by how much the street reminded me of New York. Not Broadway, but a small neighborhood street, like something you'd see on the West Side. It had small, local shops with nondescript signs, but each one had a glass front where people could sit and watch passerby. There was some litter on the street ( a far cry from our meticulously maintained Main St.) and homemade signs plastered higgldy-piggldy all over. I just had a moment.

Later I read a friend's blog who is in New York, and I felt a jealous pang. I wanted to be there in the hustle and bustle and 24-7 excitement. I wanted to be where unique people sit in unique shops with unique food. I wanted to be in a memory.

I love my current home city and I wouldn't trade it for the world. But sometimes, a girl can't help but long for a change of scenery.