Leaving Humboldt

To the Editor:

We’ve left Humboldt County, our home for 50 years. It wasn’t our choice, but we chose to.

We moved to New York City because of age, because our children and grandchildren are here and for access to medical care. It’s a mixed bag.

We don’t own a car, which is fine. We live in an apartment. We have good medical care, but it takes between a half-hour to an hour to ride or bus to our doc. An emergency room? An experience in medical controlled chaos.

Getting to see or be around family is much less stressful. We love that part. We don’t look forward to the summer heat and humidity. We have felt safe, but we are learning to be careful and watchful. I have noted over the years we’ve visited New York that what happens in Humboldt County happens elsewhere, and I still believe that. High cost of living — rent, mortgages, groceries, etc. Difficult to find or expensive medical care or both. People using their sidewalks as a place for their personal garage sale.

Entertainment — music, plays, performances — can be very expensive. People watching and strolling, and other surprises, are free. Silence is, well, silence is interesting in this city of almost 9 million people in such a small area.

Here in our part of (vast) Brooklyn, some people look you in the eye. Most don’t. At the closest grocery store, they speak Nepali, English, German, Spanish, Arabic.

Long ago, I read Frank Herbert’s novel, “Dune.” I remember he wrote, “Parting with friends is a sadness. A place is only a place.” Well, after all this time, I can say that that quote doesn’t adequately describe the mystery of what we experienced living in or leaving Humboldt County, California, and the West.

I send all of you and Humboldt County my love and thanks for helping us become what we are and for your support and spirit all these years.

Daryl Chinn, Brooklyn, NY