[flickr id=”6097566204″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Used to daydream in that small town. Another born romantic that’s me. But I’ve seen it all in a small town. Had myself a ball in a small town. ~John Mellencamp
I used to hate it.
I couldn’t go anywhere without seeing someone I knew.
The grocery store. The library. The doctors office.
Everywhere.
It was annoying. Invasive. Like the whole world was spying on me (the adults at least…they all knew my parents).
Now it’s 20 (*gulp*) years later. I have left the state (living in 3 other states over 5 years) & returned. I now live 2 towns away from where I went to high school.
Once again I can’t go anywhere without seeing someone I know.
Driving down the road. The gas station. The drug store. The grocery store. The park.
Just today Angel & I went to the park and I ran into someone I knew. Haven’t seen her in over five years – she’s since been married & had a child. We worked together for a brief time.
The other day I went to the grocery store & saw Riley’s teacher & an old neighbor all in the same visit.
The other week I went to the drug store and ran into my favorite high school teacher.
Now I love it.
I appreciate it.
Knowing that even 20 years later you can see familiar faces. You can look people in the eye and smile and know them.
I like that my kids will grow up here.
That they will have the same love/hate relationship with it that I have.
It is the thing that I dislike about living in NJ the most, the non-existant relationships with neighbors. I miss my South Philly neighbors. They were all up in my business but at least everyone stopped to chat with everyone else.