Small Town Livin'

Even though we have been here for nearly two years now, every once in awhile it dawns upon us anew that we live in a relatively small community. Things like the fact that the phone book for our entire area is less than an inch thick and wire bound. (And our zip code takes up two pages of 12 pt, two column, nicely spaced type) And that there is an annual contest the residents enter for the cover picture of the book.

I thought I might share some small-town culture with you all:
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Take the town I work for as an example. There are 112 residents. Each month the city council holds a meeting where 5 council members, the mayor, myself and the sheriff show up. The sheriff gives a monthly report detailing the goings-on for the previous month. Last month's report had three items:

• 22 documented business checks (read:drove by the only bar in town)
• 1 ATV complaint
• 1 speeding nuisance, warning issued

Mind you, this is an entire month's worth of police activity for the town. The previous month was the same but insert "cat complaint" for "ATV complaint."(I know, don't ask) This report is always followed by intense interrogation from the council members: "Who was the ATV complaint issued by?" "What happened? Were tickets issued?" One member in particular is always quite disgruntled if he was left out of the loop on something (he should always know before the meetings! Where had the information chain broken down?) Only in a small town could a three item list be discussed for 15 minutes of a 45 minute council meeting.

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I haven't written much about Phil's work. He started working with two other guys from a small town just North of us. My favorite part (besides the paychecks, of course) is that without fail, every Monday, the "guys" start their day at the community breakfast. And the wives and kids are expected to come.

This community breakfast thing is the neatest thing since sliced bread. Before I explain, the most important part about this is that it's all volunteer-driven. Donations are the only form of accepted payment, and they are made via a basket on the drink table. The food consists of made-to-order omelets, pancakes, sausage, homemade cinnamon rolls (by local women each week) biscuits and gravy, bagels with various spreads and fruit. Of course, coffee is available for those of us who don't function without it. Every Monday at 6am volunteers show up to serve whoever can make it. People file in and out and sit around big tables. The little place looks like an old diner, and though it sits empty throughout the week it comes to life to bring the community together.

The "guys" have a ritual of meeting at this breakfast with their families, where we all sit and catch up. I get to hear about what their kids are doing in school or at the local fair, and also learn what is on the work docket for the week.

We are obviously new faces to this bunch of people - they have been doing this for years and we are only a mere 6 months into it. But slowly, we meet people and they ask us where we live, what we are doing, etc. A gentleman we met the first day told us that his "honeymoon cottage" used to be right down the road from our house (he is much older than us). It has been burned down for years now, but "oh, back in the day." Every once in awhile he will sit down and tell us stories about the people who used to live in our house or his house.

He can remember one year they had an awful ice storm much like the one we had this year. The power was out for ten days, and they had just bought a new batch of chicks when the ice storm hit. In order to save the little chickens they brought them into the kitchen, spread out newspapers on the ground, and stacked milk cartons around them to keep them corraled. That way the chicks could huddle under the wood stove to keep warm.

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At the local hardware store:

Owner: Will that be all?

Phil: Yep, I think that'll do me. Hopefully!

Owner: Will this be cash or charge?

Phil: Charge. (Reaching for his wallet, intending to pull out debit card.)

Owner: Hmm, I don't think we have an account set up for you yet! We'll have to take care of that.

She pulls out a notebook and inserts a page in the "G" section, noting his name. Then, on the top line writes in his purchase and a "charge" of $22. The only other time I have personally seen this done was on Little House on the Prairie when Laura sold eggs to the store keeper and she noted it down in the store's ledger.

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For my small town, we bank at a small branch one twon West of us. I went in when I first became city clerk and gave them my address, signature, etc. for security reasons. All the statements and such come to the city hall where I pick up mail once a week or so. I then can deposit any checks or other funds by dropping by the bank. One month I had written myself a note on the outside of my deposit envelope that said only

*New deposit book

I knew that I would forget if I didn't write it down. When I got to the bank that day, though, it was already closed (they are only open until 3!). Anyhow, I slipped the envelope into the night deposit box and decided to wait one more month before getting a new deposit book.

Three days later in my home mailbox was a thick envelope from the bank that held a new deposit book for the city. Talk about service.