Going Back to Callie

Before I start this post, let me just say that I love California, specifically Southern CA. It’s where I grew up. Even though I haven’t lived there since I was 14, whenever people ask me where I am from, I say California. There were so many great things about growing up there. There was so much culture and diversity that you just don’t get anywhere else. From where I lived, we could be in LA, San Diego, the mountains, the desert, or the beach all within 2 hours. A little longer drive and you’ve got Mexico, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Even around the corner you could see things you can’t really see anywhere else. We lived about a minute from this motel . Tell me that’s not unique! It really brings back memories just to see it.

Now, the reason I had to explain my love of Callie first is because I am not going to speak so highly of it now. Anyone ever been to the San Bernardino/Rialto area? Well, I haven’t been there since I was 14, but I remember what it was like then. There were gangs and drugs and teen pregnancy. I really though I grew up pretty normally, but when I tell people that my friend in 7th grade was pregnant and that my sister’s friend was an 8th grader with 2 kids, I get some crazy stares. “What, you mean you didn’t have sex-ed starting in 4th grade?” “No! Where the hell did you grow up?” Then there was the “gang” of boys that sort of stalked me and my sister in elementary/Jr high. They just sort of followed us around and placed some stalker like calls along with occasion visits to the house. No big deal really, the cops were only called once or twice. And there where the neighbors behind us and over 2 houses that used to have drug raids by the cops every once in a while. What, that’s not normal? Well, I didn’t know that. It was all I had ever known. I didn’t participate in any of that stuff and, according to my friends, lived a pretty innocent Brady Bunch life. I just happened to see a lot of thing growing up. That was until we moved to a white middle-class suburban neighborhood in VA. Gangs? No such thing! Drugs? Only with the “Bad Seeds” and it was kept really hidden. Teen Pregnancy? My school had over 3000 students and I think only one got pregnant my 4 years there. She promptly disappeared from school before she began to show. Talk about culture shock.

Why bring all of this up? Well, my parents will be retiring soon. When they do, they plan on selling their home in VA and returning to their home in Callie, which has been rented out for the last 14 years. They haven’t been back since we, after a LOT of coaxing from Dad, moved to VA. In fact, he was there for a year by himself before we finally moved over, but that’s another story. This story is about how my parents refuse to listen to reason. I strongly suggested that Mom and Dad visit before moving back to Callie. Now, this is all just hearsay since I haven’t seen it with my own two eyes. I have heard from various sources that the entire neighborhood has just gone downhill. One of my friends just convinced her parents to move and she is ecstatic that they agreed. Well, stubborn parents that they are, they won’t hear of it. “It’ll be fine.” “We’ll see it when we get there.” “You can’t tell a bad neighborhood by just visiting.” Well, my point is, if it’s as bad as people have said it is, YES YOU CAN! And if you go back and see it’s bad, why would you move there? If you go back and it’s fine, then I will shut up. . My mom has all these grand plans to remodel the house. Wood floors throughout, new kitchen, paint inside and out, remodeled bathrooms, new landscaping, new windows and doors. Yeah, they aren’t going to call attention to themselves or anything. Plus, if you fix up a house in a crappy area, you aren’t going to get back the money you spent on it. It doesn’t matter how nice you make it. Well, after suggesting, arguing, begging, bargaining, and even volunteering to go with, they still won’t give in. I have a few more months to try to convince them, but it doesn’t look good.