Life is greener over the septic tank

Many of us who were city dwellers before we moved to Tehachapi took a few wrong turns before we became adjusted to our new lives in a small town. Every time I drive down Valley Blvd., I look over and smile at one of mine.

My newly built house, upon arriving to Tehachapi in 1990, needed landscaping. So, my new landscaper and I purchased a bunch of 3-foot trees from the Forest Service, I believe. Not thinking about the obvious, we planted the trees over the septic system. Now, 34 years later, those trees are 30-40 feet high, for obvious reasons I did not think of at the time. The trees are enjoying the nourishment.

Another wrong turn I made occurred when I was in my office about two months after arriving in Tehachapi. Keep in mind, my old office was located on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, so my dealings with anything on four legs were limited. An enthusiastic young man came in and asked me if I would sponsor his pig for a 4H project. I knew sure as the sun rose that morning that one of my friends in L.A. with my sense of humor put this innocent young man up to this.

I gave him a check to sponsor the pig and then immediately got on the phone trying to find out who put him up to this. The few friends I called had no idea who pulled the prank but wanted to know more. I finally reached a fellow agent, one of my mentors who had been raised on a farm before moving to the big city. He was laughing hysterically for a few minutes before he explained to me this was legitimate and part of being in a small town.

Needless to say, for the next few months every time I went back to visit friends in L.A., they got a good laugh out of my adjustments to the small town I love.

Marty Pay is a contributing writer for The Loop newspaper. He can be reached at Marty Pay Farmers Insurance (661) 822-3737.