California was the America I had always read about and saw in movies and TV, the first nuances of the “American Dream” I had ever known from friends or family. My grandmother, who had a bit more since she was successful in her business ventures and choices, had gone when we were kids. I remember receiving a ton of stuffed animals and clothes from her when she got back, and promises of her bringing us, when something in her plans worked out. We would hear it every few months, the promise of Disneyland and other theme parks, the family we had, the places we would visit. As we grew older,…