My first traumatic experience as I arrived in New York City on my way back to Texas from Africa, was right after my friends Cecil and Cheryl picked me up at JFK airport, and stopped into a grocery store on the way to their house. There were so many people everywhere. On the way to the grocery store we passed a field with cows, and they were so fat. Enormous fat healthy cows. Eating abundant grass, and not bony swaybacked animals having to graze 24 hours a day on dead plants and the occasional cement bag, to stay alive. We went into the store and I was gobsmacked by neon. The groceries in Texas before I left it had not had all this neon on every wall, showing me where the Meats were, and Vegetables, and Dairy. It was so bright and busy. And crowded with people. And all the people were fat and healthy too. I felt like I got off the plane into a foreign country. The shelves were filled with products. Not just a half dozen bars of soap, but 20 or 30 bars, and of 10 different kinds. There was so much of everything. And wrapped in bright colors. Colorful things in every direction. Aisle upon aisle, enough to feed a whole country. I had become so used to life in Africa, that it overwhelmed me. My heart started racing, and I started breathing harder, like I had been running. I felt dizzy, and touched Cecil on the arm, and asked for his keys. He looked startled, but gave them to me. Everything blurred into visual cacophony, as I raced towards where I hoped was a door out to the parking lot. My heart was beating very hard. I finally saw the doors, and rushed outside, and found Cecil’s car, and got in, shuddering and panting, and I covered my head and concentrated on trying to calm down. I had never experienced a panic attack before. It happened so unexpectedly. By the time Cecil and Cheryl came out with their groceries, I had calmed down again. It was just so much stuff.

So.

Much.

Stuff.

Well, Sam, you are back in the land of milk and honey, and you better get used to it quick.

I love America. But if you are not ready for it, it is a lot.