

The gate's pretty darn big, and the lake is just huge. When you drive on down the lane into Woodcreek Farms, you feel sort of like a kid again, like you're on a playground where everything's just that tiny bit too big for you. I tell you, there's nothing quite like that feeling of first driving in through the big, fancy iron gates. And there's trees everywhere, green and yellow and orange and red like you wouldn't believe. During the fall we don't even bother with fireworks or anything; the trees do it for us. And the houses, don't get me started on the houses, on how huge and expensive most of them are. Sometimes I feel like I'm living with a bunch of princes and presidents, the way some of these buildings look. But you see, that's the thing. There's fanciness here and there, and everything's blown way out of proportion, but you just don't feel close to anyone, you know? The kids here, they grew up together, known each other since preschool. Don't even bother with any new kids on the block or nothing, just sit around with the same old friends in the same old spots. They're used to being able to run all around the golf course without a parent there, or go out to the lake whenever they feel like it. This is rich land, it's no good for people not used to it. But despite all that, I love the place. I love the air here, you know? Sometimes, air stinks. Sometimes, you could just gag from all the crud that's pumped into it. But not way out here, no, it's good clean air. It's the smell of earth on the wind and the smell of fresh grass near water. Stuff like that can really calm you down, ease your burden. I don't ever drive with the windows up, that feels like a waste. Gotta let the wind whip through your hair when you can. And the grass, oh man, it's green. You'd think it was too green to be real, get down on your hands and knees looking for the plastic. But no, it's all real, soft grass. I know that they got a crew out there working it on the weekends. Dedicated boys, all of them, if that's how well they keep their grounds. That's just how it is in Woodcreek; you expect the best and you get it. Why else is the nearest Burger King twenty miles away? It's all fancy restaurants and expensive shopping near here. It's an atmosphere, it's like a calling card. It's like this neighborhood knows who lives in it, what they like, what they want, what they need. It delivers. There's nothing quite like it in the world. It's where the rich play, where the important stay, where the kids are all friends. But you'll never forget that first time you drive through the gate. 

