First Impressons
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Remember that restaurant that made such a bad first impression that you’ve never gone back? Yet, twenty years later it’s still in business and it’s the favorite date night of your best friends. Maybe a second impression would be worthwhile?
I remember the first impression I had of a woman in a new neighborhood, years ago. She was so dour, rarely smiled; quick with negative comments. She seemed to me to be close to tears all the time. Sometime later, I learned that her teenage son was jailed on drug charges that same week we moved in. She turned out to be a fun-loving and cheerful friend who was dealing with a lot at that first impression.
Even cities can make a good or sorry impression. If you had an enjoyable time, you told your friends what a great city it was! The first time I visited Virginia Beach, Virginia, a few years ago, I had a book signing in front of a book store in a dingy strip mall. Litter blew around the parking lot. Loud planes flew over in pairs every few minutes vibrating my insides and unnerving me, as I thought they were crashing in the parking lot. The book store manager had invited me to make this 9-hour-drive from the mountains to the sea, yet he was barely civil to me. I watched people coming and going mysteriously into an unmarked door, disappearing and reappearing minutes later, all very suspicious. I was nervous and decided I didn’t like Virginia Beach. It was unfriendly, dirty, and noisy. I never wanted to come back and didn’t have anything nice to say about it.
Today I was back in Virginia Beach, now only a bit over one hour away from home. I was at the Convention Center downtown for the Virginia Garden Clubs Flower Show. The Convention Center seems new-ish, well lit, clean. All the vendors were friendly and the demonstrations well-done and informative. The Garden Club members wear great aprons! Yes, there were planes, and when they fly over, all conversation stops; no one can hear. But now I understand. I owe an apology to Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach is a seacoast resort town with nice beaches and a lively boardwalk. There’s a lot to do here, hiking, golfing, kayaking, and even amusement park rides. The city’s population is around 450,000. But, there’s another population census at the Naval Air Station Oceana, the U. S. Navy Master Jet Base. The NAS Oceana is the only Master Jet Base on the East Coast. This is home to 17 strike fighter squadrons and numerous other squadrons including the Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic. Squadrons drill and train around the clock, yes, even at night, drilling for casualties and training firefighters and EMT as well. Noisy? Oh, yes. But, now that I understand it to be the sound of Freedom and Safety, it’s music to my ears and innards. My second impression of Virginia Beach is a friendly, clean, and noisy hostess. Thanks, Virginia Beach. I had a lovely day.