Why We Lie to Out-Of-Towners

It’s a blizzard out there—for real. And O.W.’s just getting over a nasty bug. It gave him some time to reflect on how the mainstream media thinks Pete Buttigeig residing in Traverse City means he’s living like a mountain man in the wilderness. In reality, Traverse City is one of the most affluent cities in the state. Mansions long ago replaced cabins. It’s why many from Up North (O.W. included) feel free to mess with outside journalists, and occasionally tourists, with fables like “Mama Lake” and “Snow Snakes.”