The trouble with magnetic cities

On a recent trip to Toronto I noticed a strange thing. I can't get away from where I live. Let me try to explain.

I currently reside in Kalamazoo, MI and there is totally something about this part of Southwest Michigan that is magnetic. Maybe it is like this other places too, but Kalamazoo has a hard grip on those who call it home and even those who try to get away.

Well, on my trip to Toronto I was digging through a box of patches and look at what I grabbed...
Now this was really strange. What you see here is the water tower that resides over the State Psychiatric Hospital on Oakland Drive in Kalamazoo. It is also called the Virgin Tower by the college kids here since a brick falls off the tower every time a virgin graduates from Western Michigan University. Not many have, since it is still standing.

Anyway, back to the whole magnet thing...

Kalamazoo has a real grip on me since I lived here from 1989-1996 then got out and made it to San Francisco, but someone switched the magnet back on and I found myself back here in 2001.
Well I have it on good authority that the magnet is going back off. To celebrate this I am heading back to SF Bay and shielding myself.