Newman, California. I lived there from the end of 7th grade until my sophmore year (10th grade). Back then, the town had about 7,000 people. It was an agricultural town in the middle of nowhere back then. It was such an innocent town. There were no drugs or creeps. Everyone was so close.

You couldn't ditch school or drive out towards the country without someone telling your parents. I remember driving out in the country with a boyfriend and my friend's dad having a talk with me saying "Kids only go out to the country to drink or make out. Don't let me see you out there again."

We were able to walk home from dances, football games, or parties at 2am without fear. Although it had no fast food resturaunts, only two mom and pop grocery stores, and no movie theater, we still always had fun. All of us kids were very close. (And we still are.) We had these boxing matches every Friday. We'd pick two people (even a boy verses a girl) and we'd bet all week long. Friday night, they'd put the big fluffy gloves on and box.

Someone was always throwing a party. There was one girl, Misty, who's parents were really cool. Once a month, she'd throw a huge theme party. Like a luau, a toga party, a 70's party, etc... The closeness of the town really made me feel safe and secure.

I think because I'd moved out there from the bay area, I really appreciated the town's smallness. Whenever I ramble on about how I love Newman, my friends that spent their entire lives there think I am crazy.

Now, everyone from the bay area has discovered that town. It's less then two hours from San Fransisco, so everyone from the bay has settled there. It's doubled in population and has all kinds of stores and resturaunts. Now, it's getting where there is crime and stuff. It's not safe like it used to be.