[Over the next few days I will post some Michigan memories from the first time living on Lake Michigan.]
Fresh out of college, and having moved to Holland, Michigan my first boss asked me if I had met a lot of people from the community. I responded in the negative. The company I worked for had very few people near my age, and none of us were from the area. It was a stunning change from a college environment.
Holland was a two bar town at the time, and both were virtually empty every night of the week. My manager asked, “Which church are you going to?”
I responded, “ Well, I am Catholic, but I have not been to a church here.”
He gave his desk an enthusiastic pound with his fist and exclaimed, “That’s the problem! In this town the place to pick up women is at church! Pick a church, or two or three and just go.”
I thanked him for his advice, but ignored it. There was actually some truth to what he said. But going to church to pick up women would have tempted a bolt of lightning striking me down … or at least some very bad karma.
A few months later, a new employee joined my team… a local… and the bleak social outlook began to change…..