Small Town Texas...

Since arriving back in Texas from Kenya, we have been busily trying to get our ducks in a row…without total success for sure. After getting our living quarters in check, vehicles up and running, and all the small stuff, we now are starting to look for jobs. My wife was real fortunate in that she found a locums job which started a few days after our return. Unfortunately, it is by no means a long-term solution as it requires her to travel overnight to various places throughout Texas among other things. Our daughter likes to have her Mommy around; nothing to make you feel bad like your child wandering around the house aimlessly, from room to room, shouting out “Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?”

I have been doing my due-diligence without any luck whatsoever. Seems this “unemployment” and “economy” thing that Mr. Obama is supposedly fixing has gotten worse since my departure. The proof of the pudding is going to a Home Depot, talk to the folks working there, and hearing their backgrounds. “Yeah, I’ve got a Masters in Business Admin.” “I was a plant manager for a Fortune 500 company.” “I’ve got two advanced degrees but cannot find work in my field.” Or, start looking for even entry-level engineering jobs, crap like validation engineers, test engineers…stuff that is for folks right out of college and they are asking for 10 years experience, advanced degrees, and are paying crap like $30K to $40K a year! I have been secretly rehearsing “Would you like fries with that?” while taking a shower…

One thing is for sure in my household; my wife can out-earn me with her eyes closed. Being a medical doctor affords some options that having a normal, albeit worthless four-year degree does not afford. So, we have been looking around for her jobs too and are really fortunate to have quite a few options. When one looks into the Health Care debate, one will hear that there is a shortage of physicians…especially general medicine doctors. My wife is not a general practice/family practice physician but is fully trained to work as one. Also while looking at jobs, the really attractive areas to live do not recruit as persuasively as the rural or underserved areas. In the Dallas/Fort Worth area there are definitely jobs available. These jobs pay well but when one looks at some of the underserved areas…Holy Crap! They have some VERY attractive offers…some paying triple what a physician would earn in a metro area if not more. Plus, add to that the lower cost of living….well crap, it looks like we are going to look into Podunk ville…

Let me preface this by saying that I am very familiar with Podunk Ville. I grew up there and didn’t really leave until I graduated from College. The politics of living in very small town U.S.A. is way different than living in DFW for obvious reasons. If someone went to a grocery store, say Central Market, here in DFW and told the cashier to “…put it on my tab” they would be met with either a dropped-jaw or quite possibly a phone call to the Southlake Police Department! For sure one would not know over half the people standing in line behind them and would not have messages on their answering machine at home waiting on them asking why they were arrested at Central Market! As a younger person, I used to despise certain people who felt it their life-duty to inform my parents what I was doing at any given moment. Not being able to be an individual without 50% of the town knowing my every waking moment. Literally, having pissed someone off and they would call my Father to narc me out. The anonymity of living in a large metro area has its upsides.

Having access to niceties is a huge plus too. Growing up in my hometown, if you wanted something to eat after, say 8:00pm, one would either drive to Sonic or maybe McDonalds. That was it. Period. Realize there is no milk in the fridge…until a Casey’s General Store showed up, you were out of luck. I also remember fondly, looking forward a week or so in advance about the “BIG TRIP TO TULSA!!!” We got to go to a MALL! Eat at real restaurants! Shop at a store other than Wal Mart! Nairobi blew away the town I grew up in regarding options, places to go, see and do.

There are some real advantages to living in Small Town U.S.A. too. The small-town hospitality can really be appreciated when one gets a bit older. It seems that neighbors are closer, the community is closer, and people are more involved in your day-to-day lives. I think raising children in a smaller town also (with appropriate supervision) allows for a safer environment too. Not so many “bright lights” to attract them down different paths. Of note, that crap all but goes away once teen-age years arrive as it is hard to keep one’s self entertained during those years in a small town without getting into trouble…. I think a small town promotes stronger family values too. It is not so easy to get lost in the forest for the trees. I also think it is easier to not spend tons of money in a small town…just because there I not so much to buy! Eating at home is much easier when there are not so many tasty options to hit. Having ten gourmet burger joints within ten minutes of ones house makes it really hard not to travel for food! Not having a pizza place in ones towns has pluses and minuses too…

My wife has never lived anywhere other than a large metro area. I think I almost lost her the first time I took her to my hometown to meet my Father. I do not know if she thought it was a joke as we drove in from the East side of Coffeyville or not…probably wondering if it was some sort of refugee camp? Being exposed to the previously mentioned shortcomings was a shock to her system. I think she needed something like contact lens solution and realized this at about 9:00pm. Whoops. Obviously, it was not appropriate to mention that one should not leave their stuff behind when the statement is equally obvious that at any time of the day or night one should be able to pick it up. I have not spent any amount of time in Coffeyville in the past 10 years or so, but at that time I am pretty sure NOTHING was open 24 hours other than the Coffeyville Police Department. I have had the opportunity, the past 15 years, to live in metro areas of around 4 Million or more and have grown fond of the conveniences too…so don’t think this is just about my wife. The concept of having to plan-out shopping trips precisely is not a strong suit and neither is the idea of not being able to stop off at the Mall on the way home (or other boutique type stores…let alone Bed Bath and Beyond or Super Target or similar). Planning to pick up these items a week in advance (or more) and having to travel an hour plus to get these items is as foreign as Jupiter.

So, what do we do? Yesterday we traveled to Small Town Texas to interview for jobs! And we are not talking about Coffeyville here…think Dearing (think town of probably 1000 folks). It is about an hour and twenty minutes from what is considered to be “civilization” and does not even have a Wal Mart or any other store other than a very small grocery. There is a Burger King at the exit of the freeway that was recently built…and it appears to be Zagat rated in the community and quite the fine dining experience! And you can get gas there too!

Upon arriving there, seeing the town and hospital somewhat reminded me of our first trip to Coffeyville. I think she was more comfortable in Kenya than she was here…at least there she had proper mental preparation. This was a bit of a stunner. All in all, I think after the initial shock wore off she started to enjoy it and took it all in objectively. One of the benefits of the job is “corporate housing” which consists of a rental house across the street from the hospital. This will be the proverbial deal-breaker. The real estate market here; it is not even fair to call it a market. There are zero properties available as there does not tend to be a large influx of people moving in/out. Within 20 miles of this town, zero rentals exist so this place is it if we choose to go. Cat piss in carpets is a deal breaker….for both of us and it exists in this house. Other than replacing the carpets in the entire house, the place screams early 70’s…almost expecting Eric and Red to be sitting in the living room. Probably the final analysis will be based on what they can do to clean up this shack.

The population is predominately Hispanic, towards the lower-end of the income bracket, but seems to be very nice…the ones we met anyhow. They do have a somewhat capable hospital that serves an area of four small towns that also each have a clinic…all would be serviced by my wife if she were to accept the position. This could be a hurdle to overcome too. Her experiences since leaving residency are mostly centered around Hospitalist work. Trust me, you didn’t want her to be your doctor because that meant you were REALLY sick…hospitalized sick. She has mainly worked in world-class hospitals with a supportive staff that is not only huge but also trained in world-class institutions. In these smaller towns, she is it. Not much support structure or other specialists to turn to. However, I think she is very excited about this part of the opportunity…and she is capable. It will really immerse her in all things medicine and give her the challenge she thrives on. Add to that the communities here are more geared towards appreciation and relationships, it should be right up; her alley. The compensation package being more than most any twenty people living there earn yearly is a nice plus too.

The other big plus is that there is work for me there too. Funny that employment could be found in a town like this compared to a metro area but it is there. It would be working in the health industry (something I know very little about) but would rely heavily on my ability to sell services and myself…things that I am adept at. Creating relationships and marketing the programs of the services provided is something I can do and would be a nice addition to skill sets should we make this a short-term option?

The next week or so are going to be interesting as we try to figure out what we are going to do. I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would live in Kenya. As I drove away from Coffeyville I never thought I would come back to a small town ever again…almost promised myself I never would. Amazing what folks can do when situations and times change. I guess I can still dig out my straw hat, bib overalls, and learn how to walk barefoot again….
Peace,

Dude
FBO