I actually WASN'T born in a small town (STL). I really doubt I would be privileged enough to be friends with Elvis Aaron because I never shot'a rabbit.
But... early on, we moved, and, the town I 'grew'd up in' was fairly small. One flashing light. Two lane roads in, out. Alleyways in-between. Ya knew everybody and their brother (and sister, first cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, yada, uh huh, yada.) You could rattle off the names of everyone in your High School class.
Locked doors? We don't needs no locked doors. Shopkeeper hadta run to the bank? Sign on door, "Back in 5 minutes" and, the door stayed open so you could go fetch whatever ya needed, trusted ya. You was friends with the folks in the next town over, but, BITTER enemies when those Friday night lights came on, every resident in the County filled the bleachers for the football game.
The teachers, they'd callya by your older sibling's name. Tweren't uncommon to see a tractor, or, a cattle truck in the High School parking lot. Classes were 'filled' with kids from 8 other, even smaller towns. When folks (outsidea town) would askya "whar ya from?" you'd start with that smallest town. Their look of confusion then led you to tell them the town where your high school was.. if still, "crickets", then it was "Just North of Kansas City."
Ifn's you called the wrong number, odds were decent the person you called could then in turn give you the correct number for who you were calling.
Ya got ur groceries at the Piggly Wiggly. Victor? You talk about the Piggly Wiggly a LOT.. please tell us of your experiences. "I've never been in one,." I ain't. I LOVE the name, I LOVE the 'small town feel' of it. Were you aware.............. Aware of what? Wiki done tells me Piggly was/is, really, ingenious. Yeah? How so? Well....
Long ago (we're talking turn of the Century, not this one, the one before) when you went to 'the grocery store', you had a list. Ya gave that list to the owner of the store, you weren't allowed to go find, place in your cart, the goodies. The shopkeeper (or their kid, niece, aunt, yada) did. Side note: Seems we've kinda come full circle. Many are upset, disappointed with WallyWorld automated checkout, but haveya seen how many of them damn "fetch the lazy shopper's goodies" employees there are, each with cart, cloggin' the aisles?,, back to Piggly.. Sooooooooooooooo, Piggly Wiggly became the first eva' self-service grocery store in 1916. No? Yeah. They not only letya go grab your own goodies, they were the first to use grocery carts, checkout aisles, individual price marking, thus... it prompted a whole new world where companies tried to fancify their marketing, brand, packing, yada. And, can you say IMPULSE BUYING? Smart dudes!
Victor? Yeah? That's impressive. Maybe you shouldn't kinda sorta make fun of Piggly Wiggly into the future. You think you can stop doing that? Prolly not, sorry, not really sorry though. I LOVE Piggly Wiggly.
You wrote "Third house on the right past Casey's." Whatsup with that? Casey's is another that tugs at the small town heartstrings. Cept', them basta's (said semi lovingly) recently tore my Grannies house down (true, Fulton, MO) and built a Casey's in it's spot. Still love Casey's. In 1959, Donald Lamberti leased a service station from his pappy (Pappy is small town for 'father', I suppose like 'pops' is Big City affectionate for dad.) Turned the station into a convenience store - his gas supplier was Kurvin C. Fish. Small towns, Kurvin C. Fish was a bit much to say, so they called him KC. You get the idea, they bought another gas station, same idea, and vivala, Casey's was born'd. I am not real sure why it's considered small town to say "born'd', but reckon it is.
Lamberti and KC focused on small towns. Then, even smaller, and even smaller. Ya go off the beaten path nowadays, you can always stop at Casey's and ask for directions. Or, pizza. They got good pizza. So good, in fact, my niece and her hubby set aside Tuesday night as "Casey's Pizza Night."
Where was I? Well Victor, you mighta been in Accident, Maryland... or Ding Dong, TX.. mebbe Intercourse, PA... NUH UH! Uh huh.. or Tightwad, Hazardville, Toad Suck, Bald Head, Bacon Level, Big Foot, Unalaska.. OK, I get the idea.
What else do you remember about small towns Victor? Well, there's kinda an aversion to change, which, I guess could be construed as 'good or bad', mebbe a little of both. Ok, and? Little(r) town, just North'a me.... One cop. I don't think he had a real life. He was cop 24/7. Large man. How large? Well, many a night you could drive the main streets and find his police car pulled over, the two back doors open, on one side his head and one arm would be stickin' out, and on the other side of the car his feet stuck out. Rumor had it he'd 'take a sip' every nowandagain, but, who was gonna stop him?
I did grow up in a small town. A small town I love, many reasons. Much like the reasons of others who grew up in small towns. Simplicity, warmth, wisdom nurtured by environments. Small towns teach kindness, community, resilence, and the art of finding joy in the simplest pleasure.
A little diddy, about Piggly and Caseys.. two American companies doin' the best they can. Green Acres (on the outskirts, separating, your town from others) is the place to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment