If you’re an out-of-towner, it’s tempting to urge Californians to get the hell out. But please don’t do that
Why don’t you just leave? It’s always an incendiary question.
When you ask it of people in bad romances or miserable careers, they can be forgiven for ghosting. The word “just” is the poison. As if leaving were simple. It is never simple. The reasons to stay in a job or a relationship – children, money, comfort, love – can be every bit as compelling as the reasons to hit the road.