Recently a city friend emailed, questioning in shock, was it true that Blue Rodeo was playing in the teeny town where I live??? Could it be??? Wasn't she in for a surprise when I shared that not only had they performed here many times but that they had actually sung me "happy birthday" a few years ago at the local hotel? (Well, okay, they were singing it to a tween at the table beside me, who attends the same church, and has the same birthday as me, so I am claiming it as my almost-personal birthday message. To be honest I had no clue as to whom they were until they left and the roomful began gushing.)
What do "cityfolk" think happens in these parts? Hoedowns beside the "crick", overall-clad yocals swilling straight from the keg, brandishing freshly shone weapons, picking teeth with saplings? Admittedly when I moved to Toronto to do my B.A. I swaddled a slight fear of being beaten alive on my walk across campus - many locals shook their heads when I announced my university choice, patted me caringly on the shoulder, and whispered "Good Luck". Yes, we too have our own "stereotypes" of the sardine-crammed cityslickers, barely able to press the gas petal of their SUVs due to high heel height, but majorly adept at avoiding stoplights - because isn't that where gun-toting delinquents hang out, ready to plunge into your vehicle, put gun to head, and shout "drive to _____ [wherever they so desire]"? I'm sure that crazy "new" thing called the internet (yes, we even have high speed here) is narrowing the divide.
And what even brought these thoughts to mind today? Honestly, you would like a foray into my mental musings? (Kind of what "blogs" are all about, I suppose...) It was a drive past the funeral home - the shiny black hearse perfectly parallel parked between the chapel and the flower shop - experiencing the fleeting, hair-raising uneasiness that beckons the question, "who is it for?" And "how will I know them?" It started me thinking...
You Know you Live in a Small Town when...
-you have the local funeral home bookmarked (because I had to get home and check: do I know their relatives? Will I be donning a skirt tonight and having a visitation "date" with my husband?)
-random "strangers" wandering down the street will glance over at you, stop, stare momentarily, and then flippantly remark "I don't know your name but you must be a ________ [insert surname here] because you're just crawling with that family's gene pool"
-many, many other ramblings, those meant for another day...need to don overalls and Blue Rodeo t-shirt and many more will likely pop into my head!
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