Richard Belzer

Have you ever had a dream where you're stuck in a town and just can't escape? No matter what you do, you can't leave it. Your own Groundhog Day. Your own personal hell.

Apparently, for some of us hell is Bridgeport, Connecticut.

For those blissfully unaware, Bridgeport is a once-vibrant city that over the past century sank into the depths of despair. The home of P.T. Barnum is now the home of destitution. Oh, and it was our home for a year. That explains the dream.

There are still some Jews in Bridgeport, but their numbers are dwindling. Take actor/comic Richard Belzer, for instance. Born in Bridgeport. Grew up near Bridgeport. Wrote for a Bridgeport newspaper. Thankfully for him, escaped.

The only way we could escape that dream was by waking up in cold sweat. We breathed in deeply. Bridgeport was just a nightmare. In reality, we were in the wonderful state of New Jersey.

Everyone's personal hell is different.