The Turnpike

I would like to do a write up on New Jersey acknowledging the fact that it is my home. It is the longest time I have ever been in one place and hence this is home. I am from New Jersey and I like it here. This is the state where people drive like maniacs and where it is ok not to be politically correct. I get away making racial jokes all the time here as people are ok with it. I call white people white boys on their face and African American people black boys on their face too and get away with it. I get called a brownie by a few of my Caucasian friends I am ok with it too.
Jersey has become like home to me and I am very comfortable zig zagging through towns. You can leave me anywhere in New Jersey and I will find my way back. I know most of the back roads in central and northern jersey and I drive like a maniac too. I have never felt uncomfortable about my skin color here ever (maybe once, on 9/11 when I went to a bar and I felt that people were looking at me funny). New Jersey is very accepting and people don’t care what color you are. I love my town. I know the people at my bar, I see the people in the grocery stores on a regular basis and some cops know me.
I can drive on the parkway with my eyes closed. I am from New Jersey. I know most of the Italian derogatory terms and I kiss people on their cheeks be it male or female when I greet them. I have a bad temper and equally bad road rage. I don’t follow rules sometimes and will cut you off if you cut me. My friends are from basically every corner of the world and I don’t care what color they are. I hate going into New York and would rather hang out in my Guido bar and I watch the Sopranos and the New Jersey nets are my team.
New Jersey is home but Pondicherry, Kano, Lusaka, Tumkur and Bangalore made me.