Not all people in the city aren't losers or miserable. My wife and I frequent a little family owned (for several decades) fountain pen shop every week, we top it off with a delicious slice of cake at another small private owned bakery that has been there decades. Both of these are located in one of the most affluent, high value sectors in our city and they are both as humble and as earnest as anything in a small town or in a rural area.

Our other weekly love is going to a Japanese bookstore next to an amazing soft serve ice cream place. Sure, it is a 40 minute drive but it is a good drive for talking and listening to music. There is also a patio burger place close to home open til 4am on Friday and Saturday, they have the best made fresh fries and sandwiches ever plus they are cheaper than fast food. We can sit and eat and have a peaceful late night. Sometimes we even take our notebooks and do a little writing.

I don't need time on an acreage to know my life is blissful even if it is not your way of life. I have no use for that much space or land, nor does my wife. I certainly do not need the work of upkeeping it either which would be inevitable. My wife only needs a small room for her art supplies and somewhere to sit and draw. All I need is somewhere to have a cup of tea and play my old video games. Neither of us is competing over jobs or house size, nor trying to outflex the neighbors or friends.

We live in a small, poor neighborhood of elderly black folk. It is so quiet. We don't get drive bys, robbed, or assaulted. My elderly mom goes on two hour walks with her dog everyday with no trouble. Not every city is Detroit or San Fransicko.