The following was inspired by “Why You Lie About Where You Are From” by Jake Flanagin, New York Times, 2014-08-08.
My wife often says that she is from Cleveland and that we lived in Philadelphia. I reply that she is not from Cleveland and that we lived well outside Philadelphia.
Until I went to college I lived mostly within the borders of the City of Cleveland with a couple of years in a rural area and a few years in one of the largest suburbs, East Cleveland. On the other hand, when my wife lived in the Cleveland area she lived in farther out suburb and a small city, Berea. It wasn’t until we were married that she actually lived in the City of Cleveland. Maybe that makes her eligible to be “from” Cleveland.
When we came back to the U. S. from living in Europe, we lived in a township outside the city of Norristown, an exurb of Philadephia. In Whitpain Township, nothing was within walking distance; we had to drive everywhere and there was no public transportation.
Now we can truly say we live in the City of Duluth. Lots is within walking distance, but not so much anymore. Even five years ago I thought nothing of walking home from downtown (mostly uphill). Now I wonder how many years before I’m unwilling to take the slight uphill walk to UMD.
