Small Town Living

I have always considered myself to be a city girl. I'm not from a sprawling metropolis or anything, but growing up in a town of 80,000, I felt like I truly understood city life. Since the age of 16, I would weave in and out of traffic, stomp the gas to beat the red light, and just generally drive fast all of the time. I could run a couple of miles from my house to the mall and shop at a large selection of retail establishments at my convenience. At any time, a world of cuisine opportunities were upon me as there were many eateries with which one could quench any food craving. I did always wonder, though, how in that large of a town, I seemed to know someone everywhere I went. Or even worse, someone seemed to know me because of my parents, grandparents, etc. That was even worse! When I went to college, it was to a city of 150,000. Again, the opportunities were endless and in no time, I found that having all of those things at my fingertips was just delightful!

Alas, true love happened. As most stories go, my husband and I met, fell in love, got married, and moved to his hometown, a beautiful little city that has a whopping population of 10,581. I was down with this. I really liked the town, the people seemed friendly, and I was looking forward to settling down into a nice quiet routine. It did take some getting used to in some aspects. For example, the nearest mall is 45 minutes away, and it's not really worth your time. To get a decent one, you're looking at a good 1.5 hours. But that's ok. I've learned to "compile" out of town errands. National chain restaurants...we've got an Applebee's. That's it. We've got a few hometown places that are excellent though. I wouldn't trade them for anything-not even a big bowl of Olive Garden salad and bread sticks or an Outback special!

I've always felt I'm in the right place and that I've made the right decisions to lead me here, but today I realized that I am, indeed, now a small town girl. The state college in town started classes this week. I was appalled today when the traffic was backed up 2 miles on the main street (appropriately named Main Street). Yesterday, it was backed up about the same, and I mistakenly turned into it. Today, I proved that I am a creature who learns from her mistakes and as I saw the traffic, promptly turned around and took the "back way." That's how I knew what I was. I know the "back way" in a town of 10,000 people. Something else...the way I always knew people everywhere I went growing up, amplify that by about a million and you get what it's like in a small town. Especially being a public school teacher, you can't go anywhere without knowing someone! This was proven to my mother and grandmother this summer when, while they were visiting, we ran into walmart, and I was addressed as Mrs. McComb by every kid who passed us. I suppose it's a good thing I love my life here so much. It's only taken 4 years, but I finally feel at home as a "townie."