LJ Idol: Location, Location, Location

[my_name_is_jenn]

The first time I remember moving was the summer of 1991. We moved from Jacksonville, Florida to a very small town in the middle of Georgia that rarely shows up on any maps. I was seven years old. The real estate agent was taking us to visit potential houses and my parents were leaning towards a large, 3-bedroom ranch. I was running up and down the

Comments

[i_17bingo]

Man, I thought I lived in some dumps. The Klan one is the one that got to me the most... though they did clean their yard, so they had that going for them.

[my_name_is_jenn]

They never spoke to anyone and their yard was clean, so there was that. But just seeing them a few times a week was bad enough for my mother. My father, unfortunately, never seemed too bothered by their presence. My siblings and I were too young at the time to really understand the significance.

[mac_arthur_park]

I have a feeling our lives are similar in a lot of ways.

Also...where in Delaware? That's where the spousebeast is from.

Nice piece. I like what you did with the prompt.

[my_name_is_jenn]

Odessa, Delaware. I am never going back. The schools were horrific.

Thanks. :)

[dmousey]

Agreed on the schools! I was looking to move to Smyrna but opted for New Castle instead. My brats are still in NCC.

[my_name_is_jenn]

My classroom was a combined fourth and fifth grade class with one teacher and no separation of the students. I have no idea if this was a repeat for the fifth graders, but I imagine some of it must have been. Either that or the poor fourth graders just skipped fourth grade and were learning fifth grade material.

And when I say fifth grade material, I mean fifth grade material for that school. The kids could barely read those "I Can Read" books geared toward brand new readers. We had reading time and I went to the bookshelf. Picture books. That was it. When I asked my teacher where the chapter books were, she said, "Oh honey, you're only ten and in fifth grade. You aren't old enough for chapter books yet. Wait until high school."

I brought in a Stephen King book (It) the next day and read to her. The look on her face was hilarious.

[kschlotwrites]

"It's a fabulous location! Walking distance from a playground, grocery store. And within delivery distance of at least four pizza places."

"Hey, didn't the guy next door kill his wife?"

"Four pizzerias!"

"I do like pizza."

I really enjoyed this take on the prompt!

[my_name_is_jenn]

Living near four pizzerias is totally worth it ;)

Thanks!

[rayaso]

This was a nice twist on the prompt. As an illustration that location isn't everything, the Klan family is fantastic, especially with children. Who would want to expose your children to that? The property for the semi-wooded property did sound great, if you ignore the house! The location of your current house sounds wonderful, but you have the neighbor from hell!

[my_name_is_jenn]

My mother had two young children (I was seven and my brother was three) who both had significant health issues. And she was pregnant with my sister. My father found the house and said this was the only place we were living and she agreed to avoid future arguments. My father, unfortunately, never seemed too bothered by the neighbors. He never said he was happy about them, but he also never said he wanted them gone.

The semi-wooded property was amazing, but the house and the school district there were horrendous.

I don't want to leave this town. I love it here. I'm hoping my neighbor just moves away.

[beeker121]

This is a perfect reminder to consider all the variables, not just make one thing the most important every time. Hopefully the current crazy neighbor is quiet at least.

[my_name_is_jenn]

Yep. We chose our current house because the location was perfect and didn't pay nearly enough attention to our neighbor. Lesson learned.