For most of the year I was stuck out in the most remote stretch of farmland you ever saw.
- When the summer came around, my folks always sent me to Elgin, IL to spend a few weeks with my cousins.
I didn’t even like my cousins that much, I thought they were spoiled brats, but actually being in a real town for that much time was an annual treat for me. On the farm our nearest neighbors are 6 miles away, and they are an old, retired couple who lease their land to a farming company. Compared to that, Elgin is a cultural mecca, with people to meet, places to go, and things to go. Something else I loved about Elgin was that every place I went seemed to have amazing air conditioning. On the farm we had one little tiny AC unit in the window of the living room, but every home and business in Elgin was well equipped. When I turned 18 I drove to Elgin to have a conversation with my uncle about working for him. My uncle ran a small HVAC repair business, and although I had no experience I was ready, willing, and eager to learn. Whatever it took to get me off the farm and into my own apartment in Elgin, I was going to do it. My uncle was hesitant at first, but I begged him to give me a chance. I wound up impressing him and securing a permanent position with the HVAC team, and then I was able to afford my own apartment in Elgin.