Growing up Poor Without Knowing it.
I grew up in a small town in Connecticut in the Berkshire Mountains in a spot also known as the tri-state area. It is a corner where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York come together. It is also called the bedroom of New York City because so many people from the city have second homes there.
It is a gorgeous area, and it is ideal for anyone who loves the outdoors because there are plenty of outdoor activities no matter what the season is. I love being outdoors as much as possible because I grew up in this area. In my town there were creeks to wade in, lakes to swim and boat in the summer and skate on in the winter, there are several ski resorts close by and the Appalachian trail was there for hikers. We had the Eastern Ski Jumping championship behind our house and in the summer we would slide down the hills on trays. In the winter, most of the town would be found at night at Factory Pond to skate. There would be a huge barrel with a fire burning to keep us warm. Everyone had fun. It was a wonderful place for a child to grow up.
We had a very scary cellar that my mother used artfully for Halloween. She had a way of making any holiday special without spending lots of money.
Unfortunately, most beautiful things hide a little ugly and as I became older I realized that my town had two very different class divisions. You were either…