Patton Oswalt on Hometowns

From an interview with Patton Oswalt (“Anger Management”) in Paste Magazine.

“Everyone else’s memories are about building forts in the woods and sledding and going on weird adventures and having bike races. I was happiest when I was inside reading or brooding or sneaking out at night, or trying to scam my way into Washington, D.C. and drink underage in bars.

Maybe the people around me were about to enjoy the here and now, or turn a faceless landscape into something magical and better than me. It’s something I’ve been thinking of a lot lately — maybe the people who ‘escape from their shitty hometowns’ are less imaginative, resourceful and naturally happy than other people around them. I was so sure in my outlook, and now I’m totally confused.”

So many of my friends fought to leave Sioux Falls as quickly as they could. Hell, we did too.

But one by one, many are coming back. This quote kind of sums that up.