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When I was entering my freshman year of high school, I was given the opportunity to visit my older sister who was living and working in Washington, D.C. It was the summer of 1969, and the idea of going to the big city of D.C. was intriguing for this young teen.
My sister and her roommate were working in the secretarial pool for then Congressman Robert Mollohan. They lived in a tall apartment building in a busy neighborhood that was only a few blocks from the Smithsonian's National Zoo in D.C.
It was a Friday, and I had all day to myself to explore the neighborhood while my sister and roommate were at work. As I stepped outside into the very warm morning sun, I felt exhilaration and trepidation all at the same time. I never had such freedom or time just to myself and suddenly West Virginia seemed a million miles away.
The street outside the apartment building was thick with people walking and jogging off to destinations unknown. There were many waiting at the bus stop as traffic whizzed by at a pretty good clip.
I began my walk to the zoo where admission was free and you could spend as much or little time you wanted visiting the exhibits. These days, you have to reserve a pass to enter but there is still no admission fee. As I walked through the impressive entrance to the zoo, I was in awe at the idea of being on my own.
Amazingly I felt no fear as I strolled among the families and individuals visiting the zoo that day. I spent a few hours there, enjoyed some ice cream and began heading back toward the apartment.
On my way back, I explored the many shops, boutiques and eateries along the route. It was big-city living with a smattering of small town charm and it was an experience I will always remember.
Later when my sister and her roommate had come home from work, they spent the rest of the weekend showing me around the city. I went back home with better insight about big city living as compared to the suburban lifestyle of my youth. My visit to Washington made me appreciate the green space and quieter streets of my Woodsdale neighborhood back home, but with a pang of jealousy of all the city had to offer.
Nowadays I relish the even quieter countryside where my husband and I reside. Neighbors are far and few between. A trail camera tells us that we have plenty of company as we share our woods with turkeys, deer, raccoons, coyotes and more recently, a beautiful bobcat. It's a life 40-plus years in the making, putting our own sweat equity into the property.
Sometimes when we sit outside on a warm summer evening and witness the sun set quietly beyond the trees, I think about what it must be like to live in a city. It's true, you know: Home is anywhere you hang your hat. The recent article about Toni DiCarlo building luxury condos in downtown Wheeling got me thinking about city life and that visit to Washington so many years ago. It was exciting then, and I imagine it will be exciting now for the tenants of Toni's project. Best wishes, Toni.
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.