getting (the hell) out of Dodge

Phrase: "get (the hell) out of Dodge"

To leave or depart from a place, especially quickly or with marked urgency. A reference to Dodge City, Kansas, the clichéd setting of cowboy and western films from the early to mid-1900s.

Source: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+out+of+Dodge

Now I am not from Kansas, nor do I live anywhere near it- but I grew up with this phrase in mind.

I grew up in a large midwestern city, born to immigrant parents from Vietnam that even three decades later barely speak English. Boy oh boy and I glad that I got out "dodge", a city in which nothing ever happened.

(I am still quite miffed that they didn't choose a more fabulous city to birth me. They literally chose one hell of a loser city. If there was a loser contest for my town, it would come in 2nd place-BECAUSE IT'S A LOSER. Clearly I have resentment issues.... something like that...)

Lets take a minute to really parse out some points before this post gets too long (I already separated this idea from another post, so that I could really do it justice).

What was life like growing up in Rockford, Illinois?

• It was great? For the most part- the rosy tinted lenses of childhood shielded me from the reality of poverty. The city was probably doing fine. But isn't everything fine and dandy when your a kid?
  

What was it like growing up as a child of immigrants in America?

• My god- it SUCKED. Being raised  in a Eastern collectivistic culture while living in a Western individualistic society made it awkward navigating and negotiating my personality and relationships with my family. My parents are from Vietnam. Yes I speak the language! 😀
  

What was it like growing up poor?

• Growing up poor was obviously a struggle and a lesson in learning what you need versus what you want. I am thankful that my mom and dad always managed to put some food on the table and to have a place for us to sleep at night, for that I am quite thankful (in retrospection). 
  

Are there any particular memories you would like to share?

• Yeah, actually. I wished that I paid more attention to when I went thrift store shopping with my parents for the things we needed in order to live. I was such an ingrate. Now when I go thrift store shopping, it is for fun- like a treasure hunt. But for some people, this is all they can maximally afford. I don't expect that young child would have such level of conscientiousness, but damn- I should have been more appreciative.
  

Would you go back?

• GIIIRRRLLLL- HELL NAW! There are way too many painful memories that I don't want to be thinking about. But if I did go back I would definitely go to this hole in the wall Greek food for a gyro and fries combo with a diet coke and them PROMPTLY DIE of typhoid or dysentery.
  

What would you say to your childhood self?

• Life will be hard, but it will be ok. 
• +  You can go to sleep because you're prettier than all them hoes. 😂😂😂😂 (bitter bitch here)
  

Any last words?

• "Fortune favors the bold" - Virgil (?)