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D2 ([personal profile] greybeta) wrote2004-08-20 01:50 pm

Why I grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas

As a history major, I wonder why things ended up the way they did. One time, I wondered why my dad chose to start a family in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. No offense to Mayor Ray Baker, but I question why anyone would think live is worth living in Ft. Smith.

Remember, my parents were refugees from the Vietnam War and never had heard of the place before. In fact, he had sponsors in Seattle, California, and Minneapolis. Why did he choose the Fort of all places? Well, it had to do with its location. It was the closest to the center of the country. And you put all the good and important stuff in the middle, right?

If he knew then what he knew now, then he would not have chosen Ft. Smith. Nobody had warned him of the weird weather or how boring this place could be. The Vietnamese food here was not as advertised by the sponsors who brought him here. Oh how different my life would have been.

Yet, it was a good, quiet place to raise a family. After all, look how I turned out.