Across the Street from the Good Life Published in Eunoia Review

Sutro Tower from Potrero Hill

"Across the Street from the Good Life" was inspired by a monthlong visit to San Francisco a year or two ago. We were staying in Potrero Hill, a cute neighborhood with mostly two or three story houses. It has a little downtown with some shops and a handful of restaurants and fairly easy parking. The little business strip had most things we could want: restaurants serving French, Peruvian, and Cajun food, sourdough crust pizza, a coffee house, a bookstore, and a grocery store called The Good Life. 

Night view of a Potrero Hill street, looking at a Mexican restaurant

The Good Life was a great little store, with top-quality food--including bread from a favorite local bakery, meat, fish, produce, and fresh flowers that actually looked fresh. It was so much more pleasant than driving to the crowded, dismal Safeway.  However, the grocery was a little pricey. My brother, who lives in Potrero Hill, said of a friend of his: "He lives across the street from the Good Life, but he can't afford to shop there."

Well, the phrase about living "across the street from the good life" just seemed like it had to be a story.  That the good life was right there, visible but unattainable.

From Potrero Hill we also had a good view of the downtown skyscrapers, which seemed close but were a pain to drive to--also a bit unattainable.

Skyscraper view from Potrero Hill

The characters and situations of the story are all imaginary. Also, the prices in the Good Life; by the time I wrote the story, I was back home and had to make all the details up. I feel a little bit bad about potentially maligning a great neighborhood grocery store. I can only claim creative license. 

Many thanks for the Euonia Review for offering my story a home.