I’ve been living in Reno for three years now. And in that time I have really enjoyed the lower population density. When I go shopping it’s not crowded. When I drive to work there is very little traffic on my short commute. Looking up, I sure do love the wide open spaces and big sky. I breathe easier up here in the high desert. Nevada has been good for my soul.

I just spent a few days in Hayward while visiting my dad. I cannot remember being so stressed out. Seems like everywhere I went was stop-and-go on the freeway and I was hitting every stoplight. When I got out of my car it wasn’t any better.

The people…there are so many people.

I went to a big-box store to shop for a computer monitor to replace my dad’s broken one. As soon as I pulled into the parking lot I had to fight for a parking spot. I had to wade through throngs of people at the entrance. Inside, I was overwhelmed by the noise and the crowds, and the…whew…whoa…I’m not used to this…

Sensory overload. I was not enjoying this experience at all. Odd thing…this is life in SoCal, where I lived for 10 years. Perhaps I’ve been gone for so long that I’m not used to it. Whatever. I don’t like it one bit.

I grabbed a cheap monitor and waited in line. “Sir? Next in line, please. SIR?!”

Wait, what? Oh. Me. Yeah. I’m next in line. Jeez. Get me out of here.

How can people live like this? The Bay Area has gotten just as bad as SoCal. SoCal. I haven’t been to SoCal in about 14 years. How bad is it *NOW* I wonder?

Back in the car in the big box parking lot I paused before putting the key in the ignition. I needed a moment. I had to let my brain decompress. Honk honk…HOOOOOONNNNK!!! Wait, what? Oh…someone is waiting for my parking spot. Oh my golly gooly get me out of here.

I fight through more stop-and-go in the huge shopping big-box shopping area to the street. More stoplights and cars and loud music. Back on the freeway now. More stop-and-go. Where is this traffic coming from? It was 2pm on a Sunday. It wasn’t commuter traffic.

Back at my dad’s house. Now I can’t find a parking spot. My dad’s neighborhood as undergone some drastic changes since I left home. All the old folks are gone. All the houses are rentals with 17 people living in each house, and every person has their own car.

Nowhere to park. This place is a zoo. Where did all this trash come from? Everyone has a dog, and each dog has been barking since I left hours ago. What am I doing here? How can people live like this?

Overwhelmed, tired, stressed, unhappy. Finally I find a spot miles away from my dad’s house to park. All I want to do is lay down on my old bed in my old bedroom and sleep.

And once inside my dad’s house that’s exactly what I did.