L.A. Has No Heart

I got a car today - leased a VW Jetta 2.5. I only vaguely even know what that means, but the car seems sturdy, I like driving it, the cost was decent and our sales guy, Uncle Barry, was raised in the Bronx so we had a New York connection. When you buy a car you are forced to explain yourself a lot: People want to know what your last ride was (the subway) and how many cars you've had before (1 - my dad's) and who your insurance carrier is (what insurance?). When people find out that you have just moved from New York to Los Angeles, they all say things like, "Whoa! That is quite a change." Or "You must be going through some major culture shock." One woman at the car dealership said that she'd always dreamed of going to the city, but is scared now. When I asked why, she said, "Terrorism." That made me sad. The best reaction was from the Geico insurance guy on the phone. When he saw our former address -- which was in the West Village -- he said, "Wow, you were really in tthe heart of New York City. Now you're in L.A. It's so spread out. That city has no heart." And I felt homesick.


Also: My dad is much better and will be out of the hospital, we think, on Tuesday.