Why I'm a Clevelander

This month will almost be 20 years since I moved Cleveland from Grande Prairie Alberta. I still remember that day back in April of 1998, when I started my odyssey to the unknown. It was one the biggest decisions I had ever made. But I still remember hearing the comments

"You're moving to Cleveland???"

"Are you serious? Florida or Arizona would be better?"

"Cleveland is where???"

All were valid questions and the only things I knew about the city was

the river burned several times

Their sports team choked all the time

It was referred as the mistake by the lake

But I grew up in an area that was also marginalized, Sudbury Ontario. I remember hearing all of the jokes and reading the negative press about the city.

Sludgebury

You know when you're close to Sudbury because the trees get smaller and the rocks bigger

We created all of that acid rain

NASA trained there because it was similar to the moon

Was it annoying? Somewhat, but I shrugged it off.

We left that cold snowy morning in April in at the time was my fiance's clunky Hyundai sedan. We drove across the desolate, but beautiful prairies of Saskatchewan before coming to a little border crossing named Portal, North Dakota. Basically one building with a couple of border guards manning the station we were quickly summoned through and continued south. The prairies of North Dakota and Western Minnesota eventually gave way to the forests of Wisconsin. We marveled at the big city lights of Chicago. Then it was it the last leg as we cut across Indiana and Ohio, the breadbasket of America. It was early morning when we finally reached our final destination.

What was my impression of Cleveland? It was a city that once seen better days. It was certainly wasn't Toronto but then again it was a hell of a lot better than Grande Prairie. At the time the city was going through a renaissance. The new football stadium was being constructed as the Browns were returning after moving to Baltimore, many of the old warehouses were being converted into living spaces and the baseball and arena were brand new. But not far away there was always a reminder of the former glory of the city as I drove by looked the skeletons of buildings that once were the economic engine of the country.

The area was as blue collar as Sudbury or Grande Prairie. I felt like I fitted in with the folks. I loved the older neighborhoods and I definitely feel in love with the fishery. With Lake Erie and the many streams around the area, it was a fisherman's paradise. How many metropolitan areas in the world can boast streams that can produce close to 50 fish day when it came to steelhead.

For once I truly felt at home. I was getting tired of living the life as a nomad. I couldn't see myself living anywhere else. When I was in Vegas, after 4 days of I couldn't wait to go home. When I was driving back from visiting family back in Canada, I was happy to see the skyline of the city. But that almost came to a screeching halt when my wife and I separated. Our marriage was strained for a couple of years and when she left, I was basically left on my own to fend for the house and bills. I was swamped with debt and eventually, I went under. I lost everything and I remember sitting in the house reading the foreclosure notice from the bank. My parents begged me to come back to Canada and I was at the crossroads. I was seriously thinking of leaving, but my gut told me to stay.

I had just turned 40 years old. Most people my age were enjoying the fruits of their labor - great career, house, a family and planning for retirement. All of my life savings were gone and I had to file for bankruptcy. I was basically starting all over again. In a way, I wasn't different from many of the people in Cleveland who lost their jobs when the plants started closing down. Some left and others dusted themselves off and picked up the pieces. I made the decision to stay. I didn't want to move and start all over again.

I had started a new job and I moved into a small 1 bedroom apartment. I didn't feel sorry for myself and I learned a lot of valuable lessons. I forgave my ex-wife when we were in court and wished her the best. I was ready to start another chapter in life. My parents still couldn't understand why I didn't return. In reality, I invested too much my life here. My roots were too deep. Last year, I watched with pride and joy when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship. They broke a 52-year drought and for many Clevelanders, this was their first championship. Over a million people flocked downtown. I wasn't able to go, but I felt a sense of pride. For decades, the people of Cleveland lived and died with their sports teams.

I remember muttering to myself that I was proud to be a Clevelander.