Ah, Perspective

We moved back to Michigan last Spring. Moving is normal for us, and to honest, after a year or two in one place I am excited to go someplace new. This is mostly because even though the next place will be new, it will also be the same. All military bases are essentially alike. They all have a grocery and department store, fire and police station, bowling alley and movie theatre, vet clinic and thrift store. There are family services that help you find jobs, child care, lend you household items until your own things arrive, etc. Not to mention entire neighborhoods of people who will intsantly loan you things you need, show you around, keep you company and provide playmates for your kids. There is certainly a sense of security living on base. You live in the ultimate gated community, an entire town protected by gates and armed guards. Not to mention the fact that I lived with part of the police detail, and knew all the cops on patrol. I knew help was only a phone call away, and whoever anwered the phone would be someone I knew. I also knew that if I got pulled over, no one really wanted to give me a ticket. Life was pretty sweet on base. So, knowing that moving to Michigan meant we would be leaving all that security behind, it was a little scary. We were house hunting over the internet, and living someplace safe was my main concern. The night before we left for Michigan to have a house hunting weeked, we were woken up by the sounds of yelling. "Help!! Help!!" about every ten seconds. We figured it was teenagers. Nighttime disturbances were pretty commonplace. Sgt. G finally got up and called the MP's. The desk's response was "I hope you are calling about the disturbance in Herryford Village, because everyone we got is heading that way!" Sure enough, soon the yells for help were then joined with this yell of "I'm an MP!" barking K-9's, and about 6 cars with flashing lights lighting up the entire neighborhood. Dogs were released, pepper spray was used, and because the MP in charge was an idiot, it took 45 minutes to get a domestic disturbance under contol. As we lay in bed watching the red and blue pulsate on our walls and ceiling, I started laughing uncontrollably. "Gee babe, it will sure be hard to find someplace as safe as this to live!"