The two sides of Texas, both evidenced within the first thirty minutes of my arrival.

1. A white suburban slooowly rolls by (the street is full of cars parked for Christmas parties, every house is covered in lights) as I am unpacking the car. Beautiful Texas man driving, beautiful Texas wife passenger, the kids in the back. "Howdy," he says to us from his rolled down window.

2. Eating at my favorite Mexican restaurant. The table next to us is a morbidly obese couple. They do not talk, only eat, and the woman wears a wrist guard, as if she is competing in an extreme sport.



I'm ready to go back to Pittsburgh.