I love living near a small town. I go to town, and the people know me. They look me in the eye and genuinely want to know how I am doing. We talk about the weather, but it's not just to be polite. People can find my house by talking to the feed store, or market. Even though my last name is Guzman, my home name is the old Parkey place for the people who lived here before me. Mrs. Parkey whom we bought the place from delivers the mail. I go to one of the 3 local resturaunts and we shoot the breeze about things we can do to make our town a better place. I feel good about buying a meal there because the money goes to support one of my neighbors, instead of some long distance conglomerate.

Small town life is also good for helping people to be moral. For when a mistake is made, it is remembered a long long time. Slackers are not tolerated nor appreciated. My check is always good, as long as I honestly keep my accounts. Small town life is good. Very very good.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), August 11, 2003

Answers

The small town I live out of (800 people) is all that and very distrustful of outsiders moving in. Many 'foriegners' complain that if you dont have a two generation bloddline here, your not welcomed with open arms, but instead a wary eye. Them yankess are right :>) But if they can sweat it out to let their kids become locals, its worth it to them.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 11, 2003.

I find that although that tends to be true, they have good reason to be skeptical. Even so, people are trusted once they are shown worthy to be trusted. I have no problem with waiting to show myself to be the kind of individual that has the character to be accepted. What I see so much, even on these forums is people who desire to be in the country, but they bring along their city morals, and values. They try to turn the small towns they go to into miniature cities like they left behind. No, the locals don't like that. When you move to a small town and accept and even cling to their ways rather than the ones of where you left, you will be accepted much quicker. It reminds me of the show "Frontier House" the couples that grabbed on with both hands and accepted the 1800's lifestyle for what it was, struggled far less than those who tired to take the 21st century into the 19th century. When you move to a small town you really do take a small trip back in time to some extent. Better to just accept that, and even treasure it for the blessing that it is.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brighterok.net), August 11, 2003.

My ex couldnt understand why when we moved here, the first thing I did was to take my personal carry piece into the back yard and empty a magazine in the ground. Two days later I was at the general store and two locals asked me what sort of critter I was emptying my load into. Over the next thirty minutes they realized that I was of a long established family in the area that often delivered vote swings in local elections due to our community involvement at county level. We were naturalized before the next road commisioner election :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 11, 2003.