Yesterday was bittersweet. I watched as a ten year old little girl tearfully said goodbye to my daughter. They’d spent one last afternoon together at Build-a-Bear making each other a bear. Then they exchanged addresses and promised to write, call and email. Another weepy exchange and she was gone, relocating with her family to suburban Charlotte.
My daughter’s BFF will be alright as I’m sure she’ll make new friends. But it was sad to watch the exchange. It brought back the topic that inspired the name of this blog, this New York Times article by Peter Kilborn on the rootless relos of Alpharetta. It was published almost exactly ten years ago but is still as relevant as ever. It later became a book. Both are worth a read.
Each member of my family lost a friend recently to reloville. My son’s best friend from school moved to Florida earlier this spring. My wife’s best buddy is moving her family to Dalton in a few weeks. And my good friend and co-worker left our company for a work from home gig. Having no deep ties here and freedom to work anywhere, he’s seriously considering a move back to South Carolina.
Are Alpharetta’s reloville days returning now that the economy is improving? It’s a possibility. New home construction is on the rebound which suggests people are again moving about. Kilborn called them suburban executive nomads, picking up their families every few years to follow the latest professional opportunity. They don’t establish roots in the community and have no hometown.
Alpharetta’s leaders talk of creating a “hometown”. It’s a word thrown out usually when speaking of downtown plans. It’s a worthy goal to create a hometown feel, but overcoming reloville is tough, something they will not be successful in combating. “#1 Reloville” is a moniker Alpharett’s earned over a few generations now. It’s here to stay, unlike many families.
Or maybe it’s just my family’s coincidence, having the reloville bug bite us like this. It’s just been a bummer of a few weeks in the Guy household. Saying goodbye to friends is never easy.