April 17, 2008

Progress

I think I've mentioned a time or three that I've lived in the same small town since I was a toddler.

I remember when our first fast-food restaurant was built and when "driving across town" took all of 5 minutes (if you took the scenic route).

I remember Mama dressing me, my brother & my sister in our best clothes and going to the local department store to have our picture made. In the last 20 years, the department store moved and its original building has been a hardware store, a furniture store, and a thrift store.

I remember the one-movie theater downtown and "suicide" drinks (a bit of everything in the soda machine, all mixed together...seriously yummy!). That building later housed CJ's dance classes, and is now closed.

I remember life before Wal*mart. And it was good.

These days, we have six fast food restaurants, several photography studios and one semi-decent department store. Driving across town takes much longer than I'd like since so many of city folk have migrated here. I guess they decided that moving to a small town would be just the ticket for a relaxing lifestyle. It's only brought more stress to us natives who yearn for the good old days of knowing everybody (and their business).

Our schools are crowded, the traffic is crazy (a relative term, I know), and I can hardly find a familiar face when I'm brave enough to go to Wal*mart. Fields and forests have been ransacked in the name of progress. I miss the friendly small town atmosphere and short lines at the grocery store. I've been a vocal opponent of all the change.

Until today.

As I sit here sipping my Grande White Chocolate Mocha & enjoying the deliciousness of a cranberry scone, I'm thinking progress may not be such a bad thing after all.

9 comments:

Kelly said...

So funny how some progress is better than others :-)

We live south of D.C. and our area has gone crazy with development the last 15 years... even though the growth is what brought us here, I am ready for it to slow down! The rolling farms were half the charm, and I hate to see them replaced with more subdivisions.

Shelley said...

How hilarious!!! You had me going there for a moment. I was riding through that old town with you...enjoying the small town memories and then....WHAM!!!!
You are too funny...thanks for the smile :-)
I hope you enjoyed your Mocha and your scone! :-)

In HIS Mighty Grip
Shelley
www.wildnoodles.blogspot.com

Alyce said...

Hey girl..
Isn't it wonderful that we now have Starbucks! I think Farm Fresh coming is the best thing that has happened to that town in a a long time. I love to go in the bathroom and smell the fresh lilies they have in the vase! I was just in there this morning...didn't even take the time for Starbucks though.. I have been and enjoyed the Skinny Vanilla Latte...that was better than I expected!
Hope you are having a great day!
Blessings~Alyce

Deidre said...

Ha! My husband would agree 100%. I'm the same way though - I complain about all the 'progress' until something I like becomes more convenient.

Lisa Spence said...

You have a Starbucks!?!!?!

And now as a fellow small town resident WITHOUT such progress I must repent of envy...

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

I am so with you!

Mary@notbefore7 said...

LOL! How true!

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

My first stop by, I enjoyed my visit.

I must admit that where I live, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Starbucks. Glad you have gotten to enjoy the bounty!

Blessings, Joanne

p.s. try the maple scone or the baby vanilla scones too, yummy!

Alana said...

Oh yes, I was all about progress in our small town when it brought Starbucks first, and then Target. Yay for you!