The very end of 1979 I accepted a job in West Virginia. I temporarily rented an apartment there, but soon moved and commuted from Pittsburgh since that was where my ex-wife was living with our son since our divorce. I had waited some time to take a job in that area because my understanding was that she was not going to live there long, I finally decided I would make the change. I thus thought that this move would be temporary, but as it turned out, I would later move to Wheeling, West Virginia and would continue working and living there until the end of July 2015. I must admit that I arrived in West Virginia with many of the stereotypes and prejudices, which continue to prevail about the state. I knew, of course, that the Ohio Valley was famous for the steel plants and the coal mines which had a rich, but often violent and pollution producing history. Since I did not follow sports I did not know anything about the sports teams of West Virginia University or the fact that it was named number one party school a number of times.
I did know that it a few famous country and western singers and song writers were from some place in Appalachia - people such as Kathy Mattea, Loretta Lynn (Kentucky), Tim O’Brien and more recently Brad Paisley as well as a host of others. Little did I know West Virginia could claim such folks as Don Knotts, Homer Hickman, John Nash (A Beautiful Mind, J. R. Clifford the first African American Lawyer in WV (I had head someone else had a right to that claim but still), George Esper, Carter Woodson, Pearl Buck, Roger Price, Booker T. Washington, Stonewall Jackson, Edwin Lee, Nancy Hanks (mother of Abraham Lincoln and relative of actor Tom Hanks), Ellsworth Statler (hotel businessman), John Chambers (CEO of Cisco Systems), Milan Puskar (co-founder of Mylan Inc.). The list goes on and on, but I do not want to repeat what is easily attainable from various sources. Still, you, the reader, get the point. As with most people, places, and ideas there was much more than the stereotypes to which I had been exposed in my limited historical studies and my personal experience. I also had not yet leaned about the amazing parks and forest area, the wonderful places to white water raft, ski, hike, go rock climbing, biking or the myriad of places where one could enjoy quiet and amazing beauty.
By the time I arrived there I had already been made aware of how much I could miss if I held on to my preconceived notions and prejudices. Previously, for example, I had discovered a wonderful museum west of Portland in this isolated place, which was originally to be the survival home of some family, an amazing art museum in Evansville, Indiana, and a famous wood carver in a tiny village in Alaska. No matter where I traveled there were hidden treasures. One of the treasures, which I could always find if I was open, was a wise teacher who did not fit any of the stereotypes I had found in the various schools to which I was exposed.
Teachers were everywhere I went - my Grandmother Pickett, my uncle Harold, my very talented father, an early mentor, Wanda, several amazing teachers tucked away in small country schools or in larger “city” schools. As I have previously mentioned I always found amazing teachers and wise truths in the variety of books I hungrily devoured.
In Wheeling, West Virginia I also found this astonishing and impressive groups of painters, actors, educators, and writers. Some of them had been born there and some had, as had I, landed there for various reasons.
If one visits Wheeling today one will discover a city in transition parts of which may, upon first driving through it, appear to be on its last leg. Indeed once will find many empty stores, vacant lots which used to house impressive business enterprises, and those treasure still in use including the Capital Music Hall, the First State Capitol Building, the old B & O Radio Station, a lovely waterfront amphitheater which, during summer months one can hear local bands, the very impressive Wheeling Symphony, and a host of other talented performers. If one keeps driving South once reach the historic Center market with many fun shops including the famous Coleman’s Fish Market, Jebbia’s - a green grocer which can compete with any New York City Green Grocer and deli, the large restored building which houses part of the prestigious, California based Orrick law Firm, the locally owned and thriving Main Street Bank and many, resorted and wonderfully crafted Victorian Homes. One will also find historic churches such as the Greek Orthodox Church, the Lebanese Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Cathedral
Most of all will find friend, talented, creative welcoming people. One will also find, as one does anywhere, people as provincial as any of the limited thinkers who work as Senators and Representatives in Washington, DC. One can also find those in NYC, Paris, London and Dunedin, Florida. My experience is that the distribution of we humans is pretty similar no mater where one turns. One may have more creative people in New York City but one also has more limited thinkers in New York City. New York City, Paris, and London. Those places have more of every sort of person and attraction.
Otherwise, people are living, working, retiring, searching, getting depressed and feeling hopeless, creating, complaining, becoming part of the solution or part or part of the problem the same as they are in every place that I have lived or visited in the world.
I am still not feeling as much at home in Dunedin, Florida as I came to feel in Wheeling. Just as it did in Wheeling this will take time. I will not likely have the opportunity to live in Dunedin as long as I lived and worked in the Wheeling/Pittsburg area. I am much too old for that to be likely. Still, if I remain open I will become part of the community in Florida. In the meantime I will periodically go “home” to West Virginia – a place I am proud to call home.
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