| Miller believes he has landed in the middle of a great national
divide -- one based not on race, class or ethnicity, but urban vs.
rural identity.
For Susan Hobbs, there are plenty of jerks in both worlds. She's
met them.
The feisty 44-year-old redhead from west-central Florida is a FarmersOnly
member and former Tampa resident. She now lives on a farm with horses,
goats, dogs and chickens.
Sure, there are men on FarmersOnly who speak of God and want a
family, she says. But there are others who crave the same thing
men elsewhere want: sex.
Hobbs grew up in rural Hillsborough County, Fla., and then rebelled.
She moved to Tampa, meshed her identity with trendy clothes and
trendy people.
Ten years ago, she met a "real redneck boy" from Pasco
County and discovered why she was so unhappy in the city. Helping
on his farm made her realize where she belonged.
The relationship didn't last, but it reawakened her love for the
farming life. Now if only she could find someone to share it.
She's met several men on FarmersOnly who have exaggerated their
knowledge of horses. One man visited and within minutes became nervous
around them.
"Usually city guys can't handle me. They don't want all the
work with the animals," she said. "I tell them, 'I don't
need your help. I need your companionship.' " |
