The Great Escape Reprise

It often feels like we've come full circle on a lot of things since becoming parents. Rather than just wax philosophical, I have a specific example from tonight. Although Liz and I both grew up in in the 2nd or 3rd largest city in the U.S. (LA), it is essentially a gigantic suburb. (I say 2nd or 3rd b/c back then I think Chicagoland was 2nd) Actually, it's probably more accurate to describe LA as falling somewhere between urban and suburban - a third category that I'll coin here as "suburb plus" or "urban light." It's not Manhattan, but it ain't the grand leafy suburbs of the Northeast, like Bryn Mawr or Lower Merion outside of Philly or Westchester County outside of the city. By the way, when I say "city" I am referring to New York City - Manhattan, specifically. The same "city" as in SATC. Although we only lived in the Upper Westside for under three years, I have to admit that I inherited the city snob thing which is probably here to stay.

But I digress. Anyway, I was talking about growing up in the 'burbs. In the 'burbs, Arcadia specifically, the first moments of relative freedom from our parents were times when I and my friends were allowed to walk around the mall by ourselves. Specifically, the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia. Sure, my mom was probably walking around the mall at the same time, but those 45 minutes to an hour that we had to walk around and roam the stores by ourselves were the first experiences of having some sort of independence from parents. I could walk into "Surf and Stuff" and browse "Maui & Sons" and "Town & Country" t-shirts by myself, and pay 12 bucks for one if I had saved up a week of lunch money. I was probably in fifth or sixth grade? I know, I know. My friends who grew up in the city like to brag about taking the NRQW trains by themselves when they were 7 or 8. Or the 7 train for those who grew up in Queens. Whatevs. Walking around the mall by myself, or with friends, was absolutely thrilling. Soon after, we would graduate to going to the mall all by ourselves - either being dropped off by my parents or taking "Dial-A-Ride" for 75 cents a person. Obviously, it got better from there. Tearing through town on our 10-speeds, taking the car out alone for the first time in 10th grade (yes, before getting the license, while folks were in Japan on holiday...too bad Dad wrote down the odometer reading before leaving)...fast forward to moving into the dorm room, going on the first trip to NY with friends...fast forward to traveling and living abroad with Liz, and even our last trip to Paris a few months ago...

Tonight Liz and I went to the local mall. The Westside Pavillion, here in West LA. It was thrilling. Besides me going to work (and my very exhausting but productive 36 hr trip to the city last week), we have mainly been sequestered at home since coming home with Lina. Just two weeks ago, we started doing some social outings - starting with a wedding, a birthday dinner, graduation, and a birthday bbq. But Liz and I have rarely gone out together, just the two of us. My parents came over this evening to see their granddaughter and to bring over some of mom's home-cooking. We took the opportunity to run off to the mall for an hour and a half. What freedom! Twenty-odd years after walking around the mall by ourselves, here we were, feeling a bit of that same sense of independence. But it faded...

We missed Lina. And Liz ended up buying her some clothes. And I went to the bookstore and bought some books on babies. And then we rushed home to make sure she was ok...