Made in Detroit

Being a Misplaced Eastsider, I never saw myself  as a Detroiter. Sure, we all have a little in us, it's in the water, but Detroit stops at 8 Mile, and I have lived my whole life North of 8 Mile. But leave it to an elementary field trip for me to find out exactly what people think of you, well Eastsiders anyway. It started innocently enough, field trip with the 5th graders. Yea, I know! A field trip in the winter. Not my thing, but couldn't say no to the 5th grader giving me puppy dog eyes. And since he knows ZERO parents at this new school, I couldn't say no and had to chaperon. Anyway, here I was snowshoeing across a field with 25 little people, teacher, guide and  parents, mom's to be exact. Somewhere along the minimal conversation I had with the other mom's, I must have mentioned that we were new to this side of the state. Not a big surprise cos I think I mention it like everyday to someone, lol. This mom asks me why did we move to Here. I say, hubby's job is in Here. She lowers her eyes and asks me, why didn't you move to There, or to OverThere, cos she tells me that the schools in those cities are amazing and one of the best in the nation. I already knew this from all the time I had to research us moving to Here. I tell her, it's cos my poor husband was driving three hours one way to work every week and a 10 minute drive to work in Here was better than a 30 minute drive for There or OverThere. (That was his argument, and after him commuting across the state, I wasn't fighting that fight!) Guess she doesn't get it but I do. Me, being very nonconfrontational my whole life, look back at her and say, why are your kids at school in Here (ha!). Then I get the whole divorced, moved, kids stay in Here story. I am feeling pretty good after my zinged question and have been doing the happy dance in head since I asked it, we finished snowshoeing and lunch and standing back outside in the snow, I get asked, Where did you move from? I say X. She looks at me and says, ya know to us, it's all Detroit, Dearborn, Farmington Hills, where ever, it is all Detroit. WHAT!? That's what they think?  I can see she has just figured out why we moved to Here and not There or OverThere, cos I am and will always be a Detroiter! Well, that works for me. I love the city, all the good things anyway, Greektown, casinos, waterfront, Red Wings, Lions, and Tigers. You can take a girl away from the Eastside, but the Eastside stays in the girl. After all, I was made in Detroit!