I Live Here
I live here in the desert. And while this is not a picture of my house, I still live under that sign. Everyone in this valley lives under that sign. It is part of the lure of Las Vegas. A sense that anything goes in this town. A siren song that calls some 40 plus million visitors a year to a place with no natural landmark, no port of call, no major export, and no ocean view.
Tourists may not be spending as much here these days, but they are still coming. Tourists may still be a good bet in the short term; however, if you plan to stay at the table, then you must have one eye on the water supply. When I ask, “What brought you here?” I hear a lot about opportunity, easy living, and relatively low taxes. Ever get a few extra stir sticks in your cocktail? Hey bonus! Odds are you won’t even notice three straws in the lake.
Me? I’m here because leaving is simply not an option. So if here, then I will work to make this place the best it can be in face of it all, and hope the day doesn’t come when fate starts dealing me cards so dry and dusty that I know I should fold, because that too is not an option.
Original photograph – © P. Fenkell