Saturday, March 20, 2010

Small Town Living

So, my dad and his friends play guitar. They get together on weekends and have jam sessions, and yesterday, they played at a pizza parlor. It's a cute little place in a town just south of Nowhere.
Like this!
http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/bavarian-alps-d1643.jpg
Yeah. That's totally what Missouri looks like. *
Anyway, it was a cute little place. There were booths, and little tables, and a group of little kids that seemed to belong to the owner; they were EVERYWHERE. The waitress was young and insanely frazzled--the influx of business seemed to throw her off her game. However, the people inside? Yeah, they all knew eachother. There were old ladies gabbing in the corner, and there a couple of teenage kids were in the back that seemed pretty dang comfortable. Whenever the locals walked in, they would stand for a second, stare at the newcomers, sit down, and then crane around to stare a little more.
In a weird way, it was kind of cool.
It reminded me of so many places you read about. I mean, come on--how many books have you read that center around a small town? Can you name one?
How about this one?http://www.forkswa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/welcome-to-forks-sign.jpg
For those of you who haven't read Twilight or who don't recognize this, this is the town that Stephanie Meyers picked to set Bella and Edward in. It's itty bitty.
Why are small towns so popular in novels?
Is it the charm? Is it that people are enthralled by them? (Hey, I know it sounds weird to us who do inhabit bits of Nowhere, but apparently we're hot commodities to city folk.) Is it that people who have lived in small towns like reading about what reminds them of home?
I'm not sure. It's just interesting to me. I mean, people really come alive in smaller settings. That pizza parlor, for instance--people were so friendly! (Except for the poor, frazzled waitress. She wasn't too friendly. Of course, we were playing cards...So yeah...)
Even the cranky people, though, seemed to have more of personality than those in cities. I guess it's because people don't really feel the need to keep to themselves. I mean, yesterday, I was walking home from a friend's, and four different people asked if I wanted a ride.
In a city? No. That wouldn't happen. In fact, I would be scared if someone did ask. Here, it's not so abnormal.
I just find it interesting. What about you?

*For those of you not familiar with Missouri, that was a joke. Missouri country looks more like this.
http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/images/g05999photo02.jpg

5 comments:

Kendra Logan said...

Sounds (and looks) just like where I live! I LOVE small towns :)

~Kendra

Unknown said...

Well, I've been in both worlds- I moved from the city to out in the boonies. In the city things are actually more polarized/stereotyped- you're either a loser or a stuck-up socialite or a rock stuck in between. Well, that's how it seemed to me.

In the country, things are just as scary, though. There is much more abuse, and drinking, and... casinos. Yeah.

One other thing I've noticed- people in the country aren't big dreamers. Most of them, not all. Most just plan to inherit the family farm, very few intend to go to college or even graduate high school....

Am I the only one who finds that weird?

Sam said...

Kendra: Me too! :D
Cipherqueen: Yeah, I grew up outside of LA. It's kind of interesting how things are different here, I have to admit. It does seem to mix more in the country, but people really don't dream that far a lot of the time.
Of course...Ahem...I kind of dream...Well, a lot.

mo said...

I've been in Missouri my whole life, and people dream. Just mostly in the realms of Missouri. Or neighboring states.

Anyways, I would like to live in the city while I'm still young, and then move back to the country when I get older. Yes, indeed.

BTW, I had fun while we were there. :) Poor waitress.

Aspen Arnthors said...

I HATE small towns. Like cipherqueen said, there is much more abuse. Small towns are much easier surroundings. I could probably write a (short) book about why I think cities are better than small towns. But the main fact is just that I like the unknown. I like that in cities (except Reykjavík) you can walk down the street and toss smiles at everyone you walk by and brighten their day (hopefully) even though you're dressed in something hideous. In small towns (or Reykjavík) you'd immediately be known as "the weird girl who smiles like a crazy person all the time". Oh you know what I mean. It's just easier to be yourself in the city, with nobody's nose in your business. And always someone new to meet, always!

I think I might start counting the days until I move back to the states... *Dreamy expression*