Life in a big city is pretty much anonymous. When we lived
in Toronto we knew most of our neighbours within a 10 house radius.
Occasionally you would run into someone you knew on the local shopping street
or at the corner store. We took Zeke to
High Park and would meet “dog friends” but never see them anywhere else because
people came from all over the city to “our” park. Around the loop we have had the opportunity
to visit some wonderful cities – Savannah, Norfolk, Baltimore ....but for the majority
of the time we are in small rural type communities both here and in Canada.
We went out for lunch today and I said to Garth it is like
going from one “Cheers” town to another because everybody knows your name. Not
us – we are the strangers in the corner soaking it all in. Although people were
sitting at different tables they carried on loud conversations with someone
clear across the restaurant. When “Joe” walked in everyone said “Hi” and of
course he responded. Did I mention Joe was smoking as he walked through the door|
Smoking is still permitted in some restaurants here.
Menus are pretty much standard in big cities but when you
get to the “cheers” towns they have some different entrees – today for example
I could have had a “stuffed pig” – had to ask – it was a bed of lettuce with a
baked potatoe on top and BBQ in the middle of the potatoe “that way you get
your meat, vegetables and salad all in one” said the waitress. Things like gizzards & chicken livers,
collard greens, green fried tomatoes, corn bread and biscuits are becoming
everyday to us.
We have witnessed these “Cheers Town” all over the world – from
Laos to Berlin but it is only here and in Canada that we can fully understand
all that they are saying . OK, here, we have to listen very carefully! I am undecided as to whether or not I would
ever want to live in a “Cheers Town”, we are use to our anonymity but I can
see some positive sides to it. However, having said that, we have not met the Aunt Bee or the Eddie Haskell of
Iuka yet – I am sure they exist!
Can you tell what I
did when I got home from school – yep – I watched TV!! Signing off for this morning – HOP SING!
PS I am glad that we do not know anyone here because
honestly it is embarrassing driving around in this truck with no headlights and
the directional signals flapping in the wind – but it does have heat!
