As a result of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities of 1995 I was faced with some difficult decisions. The Naval Command that I was supporting was relocating from the Washington, DC area and headed to two different locations. If I wanted to maintain my employment I had to decide between relocation to San Diego, California or Charleston, South Carolina. The Flag Officer I worked for was headed west, the pay in San Diego would be greater and the work was a continuation of what I had been doing for several years. Charleston was an unknown; take virtually no staff, set up a new office and hope for the best. I could have found new employment in the DC area but I was ready for a change. With all due respect for my friends (and readers) who still call Southern Maryland home it's a depressed ecomony. It's a great place don't get me wrong, but I had journeyed beyond the county line. I had traveled around the world, blowing parts of it up along the way and knew there was more out there. Throw in the DC commute I would have to continue to tolerate to make the money I needed to make in order to maintain the lifestyle that I had become accustom to and I knew I wanted out. Add to the mix an infant at home and you've got a real nice "let's see how our marriage survives this" scenario. From a quality of life perspective it ended up being a easy decision but a painful one nonetheless. I believe we all have two lives, we're given one and we make the other one. I'd like to think I've made a pretty good one so far down here in the south.
So in January 1997 I began my fantasic voyage to South Carolina with my buddy and co-worker Stubby in tow, the entire contents of our soon to be new office in the back of a 35' Ryder truck and $73,500 in tasking from what was to become our new customer and I haven't looked back since. Stubby and I have drifted apart over the years, the stress of being best friends and having a manager/subordinate relationship proved to be too hard. The family joined me 9 months later after the house sold up north.
I hadn't thought about that adventure in quite some time but was listening to the XM this morning while on my way back from my bike ride around the barrier islands and heard a song that offers a proper perspective on that time of my life. Here's a little tune for you this Labor Day Weekend.....
Heads Carolina, Tails California - JoDee Messina
Baby, what do you say we just get lost?
Leave this one horse town like two rebels without a cause.
I got people in Boston.
Ain't your daddy still in Des Moines?
We can pack up tomorrow.
Tonight, let's flip a coin
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'
Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
We can load what we own in the back of a U-haul van.
Couple modern day Moses', searchin for the promised land.
We can go four hundred miles before we stop for gas.
We can drive for a day, and then we'll take a look at the map.
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'
Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
We're gonna get outta here if we gotta ride a Greyhound bus.
Boy, we're bound to outrun the bad luck that's tailin' us
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'
Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.