by RisingEagle 25 Replies latest social humour
I grew up in a small town, and I've lived in them off and on.
I think one got left out: during harvest season anybody big enough to see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals at the same time can drive a truck into town without being pulled over. (although they did mention driving them to school).
I lived in small town Eastern Kentucky. The county seat was Paintsville (pop.5200). My family lived in small unincorporated community just outside of Paintsville nicknamed "The Junction"
So many things on that list ring true, and I can think of some more.
You know you really live in small close knit community when you get a wrong number and end up knowing the other person on the phone (that happened twice to me)
And yes everytime I decided to take a walk around Paintsville, several people would pull over and offer me a rde.
The second biggest activity outside of 4 wheeling was listening to the police scanner. Just about 1 out of 3 households in Painstville has a police scanner.
All of the churches are close knit, and if one little bit of gossip leaks out to one church, then before long everyone in the county knows your business.
The police have a hard time writing tickets because they know and/or related to everyone, so they have to wait until some out of state car rolls through, and even then they might end up knowing the people.
directions are definitely given using landmarks. Such as: Go down to the third black top road and make a right, then make a left at the big rock.
House numbers were unkown in the county before the 911 phone system came in, and pizza delivery could be tricky at times. In fact there were no street signs in the county, the roads werent even named, they just called them "hollers" "creeks" "branches" or "forks"
On sunday morning you would be hard pressed to find any secular music on the radio.
In fact back in the 1970's, most gas stations were closed on sunday.
Nobody ever mowed the grass on sunday, it was considered sinful.
I can walk into just about any store, restaurant, or business in Painstville and Im guaranteed to know someone there.
Coming in from the main highway and passing traffic, you will always find my arm hanging out the window and waving to people I know.
Where I live now is a much different world.
Oh my god! I was born in the city, and lived there till I was 14, then moved to a small desert city, its so funny a lot of that stuff is true, I would never move back to a place like that again.
oh yes - everybody knows everybody's business - who is having sex with who etc
Before they built the new Walmart SuperCenter in Paintsville, the teenagers used to cruise around the old walmart parking lot on friday and saturday nights. It was one continual circle of traffic. The guys would drive around one way, and the girls would drive around the other way.
Whats even worse is, all the JW's report to your parents if they see you hanging out with Worldly kids, or tell your parents that you dress worldly, caught you smoking behind the school gym, saw you making out with a girl, saw you going to a nonjw party. OH GOD THESE PEOPLE NEED A LIFE!!
Wow - that is a good list, and for the most part very accurately portrays the little town of about 5,000 that I grew up in.
The Dairy Queen and the A & W (complete with roller skate girls that brought a tray of food to hang on your car window)were the main places to hang out and meet people.
20 years after I left the population "soared" to over 10,000 and they finally got a McDonalds, Burger King and a very nice golf course/community on the outskirts of town.
Oh, and BTW Jim Gaffigan, one of my favorite comedians grew up there as well.
Very funny. :)
I grew up 2 miles outside a small town of 5,000. They still don't have a golf course. But they put in some traffic lights. :o
Raised in a small New England town, and still live there. We still don't have a Mcdonalds or a mall of any sort.
Graduating class of less than 100, and I can go to town for an hour or so and easily run into a half dozen people I graduated with.
Still just nine holes at the country club.
Driving the loop of the town's two connecting main streets is still a favorite passtime of many. In fact they are going to have a classic car show here by inviting drivers to just slowly drive "the loop " for an entire Sunday afternoon. Ought to be awesome!
S4
Honesty said:
I used to 'drag' Sonic.
Me too! Sonic originated here in Oklahoma. The cruise route was 12th street turn around at the Sonic to the East and Taco Bell on the west. On a good Friday or Saturday it could an hour to go from one to the other. The city council finally got fed up from citizen complaints and made left hand turns illegal after certain hours. Now the cruisers have to drive 25 minutes away to cruise the old route 66.
I didn't technically grow up in a small town (pop was 40,000 in the 80's) but drive 40 minutes in any direction from my hometown and you are in a different world.
Eagle
