Where the
houses are only ten years old and all
look alike.
Where all the restaurants are built on the foundations of whatever historical landmarks still existed, and whose menus are usually laminated.
Where all clothes are bought new and the new car smell is coveted.
Where there is no local history that isn't white, middle class, and boring to read about.
Where natural light is gobbled up by artificial light so that people's skin attains that convenient store glow.
Where we may have even wanted to live when we grew up, but where, instead, we settled for because the neighborhoods appear safer.
Where most food starts out in a shiny plastic bag and gets thrown into a shiny plastic box and called dinner.
Where the only thing to be looming on the horizon is either a man made park or a plant.
Where most people subscribe to a paper, but never read it.
Where sprinklers and trampolines are still a last ditch effort for summer fun.
Where people re-pave their driveways and re-finance their homes.
Two words: vinyl siding.
Two more: gated community.
Two more: neighborhood watch.
Where adult children are more likely to return home and never leave again.
Where nothing really happens and nothing really changes.