What I like about rural/small town life . . .

I was driving through town (population a bit over 6000) tonight and I realized somethings about small towns. These are things I have never experienced in the city or suburban areas I've lived in. These are just some typical experiences of everyday life that I see.

Anyone want to add to my list?

• People pull over for ambulances, fire trucks, police cars BEFORE they see them just because they hear the sirens . . .

• The cash register at Mid-Town Hardware rarely has anyone standing in front of it because the clerk is helping customers and nobody is worried that someone will reach in and take money . . .

• When I walked in Tri-Creek Lumber to order some siding, the owner said "you must be Bob, your wife called a little while ago and asked you to pick up . . ." and he acted like that was a normal thing . . .

• I stopped at the Benjamin Moore Paint Store on my way home after my wife ordered a quart of paint. When I walked in the girl said "wow you are early, we were planning on staying open a few minutes after closing to wait for you because we heard traffic was bad up north" . . .

I would like to point out that I do not know the owner of TriCreek Lumber, I've only been in the paint store a couple times in my life, so I have to assume they treat everyone the way I was treated.

B_Skurka said:

Anyone want to add to my list?.

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The local business owners will extend you credit on a hand shake.

Our local pizza shop knows whos' pizza it is because of the way we always order it..........I walk in the door & they just hand it to me without my having to say a word..............

I live in a town about half that size….


People wave to you as you drive by even though they have no clue as to who you are.



Everybody knows your dawg.



They know where you live when you tell them the previous owner of your house.



They know you at the town hall when you come in for your annual burn permit.



You know life is good when you wave back to folks you have no idea as to who they are… But they smile anyway!



Gary

Schoolbus drivers when they see a vehicle behind them after a stop, wait for you to go around before they pull back on the road.


When you go by a vehicle waiting to pull on the road from the left, they wait until you go by before they pull out.

People don't pull out just because your right signal is flashing.

It's not unusual to see horses and ATV's at the town store.

Oh yeah, and logging trucks and tractors have the right of way.

Ditto on most of GaryE's thoughts . While at the place in TN this last time I had a need to go into town. There are acutally two, each and equal distance away. One happens to be more small town than the other. So off to Mountain City I go. I needed a part for the riding mower. I went to the Mower/cycle store. Welcomes and handshakes abound. 15 minutes of looking turned up "I'm out but you might try the trading post over by the grocery store" Off I go to the Trading post. Very small, old general store like setting. Walk in the door and in front of you on a floor display are fresh picked vegatables, an older lady is helping an equally as old customer. On the wall behind are work boots and shoes and to the left are some household supplies. turn to your right and walk down the isle of home goods and you come to shelves of small engine and mower parts and tools and such. A bell with a note to ring for service sits on the service desk. Hand written signs about various things hang about. I hear the man out back behind a door on the other side of the desk. Sounds like he's working on a chain saw. I rang the bell a time or two and waited. Meanwhile this elderly man about 5'10" in a plaid shirt and coveralls walks up to the desk next to me and starts talking to me like he's known me all his life. We talk about the Bible for a while (He's been studying alot of late he says)...he tells me he's gonna be 84 in a few days and his name is Keith. Still no clerk....Keith and I go outside and around behind the building to get the mans attention. Here's a fella in an old blue lab coat disecting a chain saw engine. Has a Mr Drucker sort of look to him. Gateful for the break from this troublesome chainsaw we walk inside and begin the search for the part I need. We're all chatting about this and that and nothing special.....We find the part, he throws in a missing nut for free. I extend my hand to Keith and express my pleasure at having met him. I called him by name and he acts surprised as he didn't remember telling me his name. $3.48 for the part and a priceless, indescribable feeling of pleasure from the encounter. I so love small town life!!!!

we don't have any of these things mentioned (ie) pizza shop, etc,, Our town has a booming 640 people in it. Of course a 7 mile drive to Southbridge or Sturbridge would give us 10,000,- 7500 population respectfully.

Cars park along the street, so you have a few paces to get to the traffic proper. But, cars stop for you to cross the street as soon as you step off the curb.

Cars drive down Main Street at 15 MPH, even the tourists.

Drivers don't run Red lights, they actually slow down for the Yellow light.

And, in my town there is actually a news stand where the magazines are still sorted.

We never locked the doors to our house, we left the keys in our car and sometimes even left the windows down. If our neighbor needed a ride downtown instead of you taking them, hey the keys are in the car, just take it and if you have any other errons do them too, I just need my car by 5, the tank is a bit low but here ten bucks fill it up if you got time otherwise I can fill it when you get done. You could sit on the street and talk to the local police and if you needed a ride to the other end of town the police would give you a lift.

There are supposed to be upwards of 20,000 people where I live, although I am guaranteed to run into someone I know when I go to the store. Also, many people are born, live, and die here with several generations of the same family living here at the same time. Thus, you frequently get the "Yeah, I'm Pete's uncle and am married to Jerry's aunt" sort of thing. Many people seem to be related.
Bone

My town has approx. a population of about 1200.

You can go to the store at the center of town and see a group of friends hanging out every morning and others that just stop in.

Any one of them will help you when you mention that you are doing some "project" at your house.

I got hurt at work while ago, and they posted it (it...meaning newspaper article) at the store by the register. It was nice to see how many people actually cared about what happened or how I was doing.

Problems, everyone knows everything........hahaha I'll take the trade off though.

My town has a pop of 70 with in a 35 mile radius. Nearest city is Fairbanks 150 miles away. Know everyone and what everyone is doing. Rumors are rampant and gossip #1 for of entertainment. I like to spread rumors about my self, and see how long it takes to get back to me. Very fast. We have no police, no Taxes except Federal Income Tax. No zoning. build what you want. Most of the trucks are not licenced, and few insured.(that is not something that I like). Animals are all over the place. We have not city organization or any kind. No mayor, no sheriff. If we have a bad problem, like someone shooting some one else, we call troopers in Fairbanks, and they will have one up here in 6 or 7 hours. Everyone carries guns, so it is pretty safe. I have lived in Alaska for over 20 years, and can't think of another place that I could live. We wave, we help each other, never pass a car that is stopped on the road, particularly in winter, as they could die if you don't lend a hand. Only thing you don't want to do is collect welfare if you are not needing it. We have a few of them and mostly they are ignored. Life is good in the North.

loki2; Sounds like a place I'd like to be. Except for the cold!! I saw -21 once. I had to go outside to see what it felt like. Guess what? It was cold!!

Just one more little thing that is nice about a small town. I went to the 'drive thru' window for a Honey BBQ sandwich yesterday at the local KFC. I got greeted with a very polite personalized greeting: "Hello, this is Jason, . . . ." And when I pulled up to pay he was just as nice and when I left he told me to have a great day. Then I went to the busy national chain owned gas station and was greeted there like an old friend too (because while they didn't know me, they were also small town people working there). The local butcher (actually he is in the next town north) greets me with a "Hi Bob" when I walk in if he is behind the counter, typcially asks about the family, daughter's school, etc.

Contrast all that with the way you are treated in the suburbs of Chicago: I do get treated very well at the Starbucks coffee joint by my office, but if you are paying about $5 for a fancy frappa-coffee-mocha-latte-achino they damn well should kiss your butt. But pull into a fast food place or a gas station up in the more populated suburbs and you feel like they are herding you through the place on your way to the slaughterhouse.

Life is just 'nicer' in the small towns.

1. The vechile with the most number of lug nuts gets the right of way.
2. The US Mail gets deliver to your house even though the sender wrote the completely wrong street and/or house number or no address on it what so ever. Just your name.
3. When going to the local movie theater you park at the curb next to the front door of the theater.
4. When the postal worker has to drive 1/4 mile up your drive way to deliver a package they say hi to your dog by name and bring him a doggy bisque.
5. And when you are not home they know it by looking to see which cars are parked.
6. you never see anyone giving you the finger while driving around town.
7. When you see someone you know while driving, you honk and waive you hand out the window. Which happens more often then you think.

B_Skurka said:

Contrast all that with the way you are treated in the suburbs of Chicago: I do get treated very well at the Starbucks coffee joint by my office, but if you are paying about $5 for a fancy frappa-coffee-mocha-latte-achino they damn well should kiss your butt. But pull into a fast food place or a gas station up in the more populated suburbs and you feel like they are herding you through the place on your way to the slaughterhouse.

Life is just 'nicer' in the small towns.

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I used to have to travel to Memphis about 4 days a month on business for a few years. I managed to go through some sort of drive through at least once a day. In all of the trips over all the years I went to Memphis, not one single time did anyone ever say "thank you" or anything similar when I paid for and got my food. Not one single time!! Sorry if I am offending anyone, but this is true. I've never been treated so rudely on such a consistant basis anywhere else I've ever travelled. About 25% of the time I had to correct the cashier on giving change. Believe it or not, about half of the errors were not even in their favor!!! One time, a lady with a particular bad attitude at Wendys just told me to "keep it" when I told her that she gave me too much change, and closed her window! The experiences in West Memphis were even worse.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The one and only time I have ever drawn my concealed weapon was when someone was breaking into my room at a Motel 6 in downtown Memphis. After I shouted "Stop!", they only began kicking on my door harder. When I racked the slide on the .45 I was carrying, they heard that noise and I heard footsteps running away quickly. I started to call the desk to ask for another room, but figured that the criminals were likely looking to steal items, not engauge in a gunfight. They never came back. I didn't sleep any, and I never stayed at that Motel 6 again. I told my then employer that they would just have to spring for a nicer hotel, or I quit. I ended up staying at a Hampton Inn close to Graceland that had little statues of Elvis next to the phone in each room.

ok.. on the subject of rudeness in the big city.

whats with New York City?

I recently did a tour of New England and stopped in New York. Whenever I go to buy something from a food vendor (in say like a food court).. it seems like.. They tell me how much I owe them, and when I pay them they hand over the food across the counter, they intentionally don't looki at you but to the side not saying a word. No thank you, its almost like you don't exist anymore. As if to say.. "here is your f**king food, now get the hell out, i don't owe you anything, I am doing you a favor by letting you eat here and I owe you nothing" Its most like there minimal wage job is beneath then and they not gonna be friendly after you have paid them. Anyone else notice this? This is unheard of over here.

its almost like that one episode on Steinfield with the Soup Store Guy. Remember??? "yeah.. what can I get ya???" "uhhhhh". "Next!!!!! "

I'm kind of strange. I kind of like NYC (for visiting). I'm totally into the fast service and in your face attitude. I've always preferred just getting the task done. I don't want the chit-chat - hand me my stuff and I'll get out of here as fast as I can. I don't want someone carrying my bags, I don't need help (and am too cheap to want to tip for it).

But when I go to NYC I am prepared for it and know what I'm dealing with. I suspect it can be a shock to those who don't know what to expect. Trying to remember my first time there and I'm sure it was a bit of an odd experience. Been there so many times now that it's not a novelty anymore.

Each city has its own unique flavor. I like visiting the big cities but I like staying home in the country even more. I don't ever want to have frequent flyer status again. Been there done that.

Dargo said:

When I racked the slide on the .45 I was carrying,

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You don't carry a 1911 in condition one?!