Where Do You Live

Why?

Where do you live and why do you live there? What is it about the city or town or country you decide to plant roots in? Is it your favorite place in the world? Or did you just happen to settle there because you had nowhere else to go? Is your spouse from the city you live in? Have you been adopted by the people who reside there? Taken in, accepted. Where are your roots? 

I'm Rootless

If you are anything like me, you have no roots. The closest I’ve come to having roots is the city I raised my three kids in. Otherwise, the place I’ve planted my feet now is the city my husband grew up in. His roots are here, not mine. Can I make them my own? Possibly. I have friends here now. I’ve been here over ten years. Meeting people at work is a way to introduce yourself to others in the community. 

As I said earlier, if my husband weren’t from here, I wouldn’t be living here. It is through him I have inherited a city full of people I do not know. He knows everyone because he grew up here. He waves at all the people as we pass. I know almost no one. It’s for the best. We live in the country, so outside city limits-which suits me fine. We do not know our neighbors and we’d like to keep it that way. They are far enough away from us. A couple fields away, it’s not like they are feet from our doorstep. We have a cemetery to the north of us. They are our best neighbors. Quiet, and understandably somber. 

Small Town Gossip

Working at a place in town I hear all the gossip. Or I did until I retired. Now, having my hair done gets me caught up on whatever is the latest gossip happening in town or around the area. Love my hairdresser, she is the best and she has a lot of the same views as I do. I look forward to my hair appointments and chatting with Jane. As I said, it catches me up with everything and everyone. If nothing is going on in town, we discuss world problems. God knows there are enough of those also.  

Small town America. During these hard divisive times perhaps, we are better off living in a small place. Bigger cities have shootings that have become commonplace. It is no longer an anomaly when two to three people are murdered, then the shooter takes his or her own life. It’s become something we see on the news and if we google. Who doesn’t google?

Stanley, WI

Stanley, WI. The city Gary and I call home is made up of families and farmland. We buy fresh hamburger from the farmer down the road. Everybody knows everybody, and sometimes I do believe they are all related except for me. I am an outsider. I wasn’t born here, have no ties here, and wouldn’t be missed if I were gone. Although I do have a couple friends who I have made here since I moved in more than ten years prior. So maybe a couple people would miss me.

Men Gossip

My husband shoots pool with the neighbor down the road. They get together almost on a weekly basis. At times there are as many as four to five people shooting pool and gossiping. Gossip is one characteristic that runs deep in small towns. Like a gold mine with veins running through it, gossip spreads far and near. Whether it’s true or not at times doesn’t matter. 

Men gather at the local diner to tell tall tales. Sipping their coffee and eating their eggs over easy with a side of hash browns and toast. They discuss and gather information under the disguise of half-truths and fairy tales. As long as it sounds good, stories are embellished and expanded upon until they take on a life of their own. Men in their bib overalls, and trucker hats. You want to find the truth, get to the bottom of things, get down and dirty. Join in one of their coffee clutches. You will leave a fountain of knowledge. Whether it’s truthful knowledge, well that's for you to figure out. Just ask them and they will tell you.

Are They All the Same

Every small town has the same diner with a Friday night fish fry. The same townspeople sitting drinking their coffee and passing gossip back and forth like it was yesterday's news. As well as the same grocery store, where everything is highly priced just because it is. The same small post office where everybody knows your name. Another place every small town has is bars. Taverns, places people gather to drink and be left alone-or socialize. Depends on where you are in your life. If sitting in a tavern drinking is your idea of a good time. Who am I to say different? Gas stations and taverns, two staples in every small town. There is always an older guy who loiters at the gas station a toothpick clenched between his teeth, or loose rolling around his mouth. Leaning on the counter giving the girl working their spin on life. A huge grin on their face. Having nothing better to do, these guys will spend half their day pestering the clerk behind the counter. She has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide so she bites the dust, smiles and returns his banter. After all, the customer is always right. Even if they aren’t buying anything.  Every one of us knows who these people are. Small town America-spread across the United States. The world wouldn't exist without them. So, the next time you are passing through. Stop by the local eatery, pull up a chair. Join in on the local gossip. Who knows, you may love it so much you’ll decide to stay.

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Where do you live?

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