Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Home Town

HOME TOWN
June 8, 2009

            I love my small little town.  Almost everyone is your friend and knows your secrets-or think they do.  If not, they might make up and embellish the rest.  A recent incident in our post office might indicate our mentality.  A friend of mine, Ed, needed a passport.  He was told to get one at the post office.  He made an appointment.  He arrived at 1:45 thinking his appointment was at 2:00. He noticed there were no customers as he approached the counter.  The woman behind the counter informed him his appointment was at 3:00.  He noted the empty lobby, but did as he was told and returned at 3:00.  He had previously filled out the paperwork and handed it to her.  She asked for his drivers' license.  He lifted it out of his wallet and handed it to her.  She made a copy of it, asked him a few questions.  He paid the fee.  "Am I done?"
            "Yep, that's it."  This procedure took all of 5 minutes.  Good thing he had an appointment.  As he was leaving, a gentleman entered the lobby seeking information.  He said he and his wife were here from Germany and looking for a relative living in this area.  The postman said he didn't recognize the name.  Ed said, "I worked with a man by that name.  Come on out to my care.  I have a phone book there and I'll look it up for you."  They walked out to the car; Ed found the name and address.  He offered his cell phone to the man so he could call the number.  Ed was telling him how to get to the address and then said, "Look, follow me.  It will be easier."
            The other day I needed postage stamps.  I drove to the post office.
            "I need a book of stamps, please."
The postal clerk pulled out a sheet of stamps and handed it to me.  As he was scanning them and ringing them up, I glanced down at the stamps.  They were Homer Simpson stamps.  I started to say I wanted something else, but he was almost done and I decided "Oh well."  I got in my car and realized I had a sympathy card and a get well card to mail.  Homer Simpson seemed definitely not appropriate.  The next day I marched into the post office and exchanged them.  They were replaced with Forever stamps.
            I look forward to my next adventure in my small town.


Joanne Murray is my cousin.  She sent me a book her son made for her 75th Birthday.  It contained essays that Joanne had written.  In the interest of bias, I am definitely biased so let's get that out of the way.  But once you and I get passed my bias you come to realize as I have that these essays are something very special especially to her family and THAT IS THE POINT.  As I read them the one of many thoughts that crept into my mind was "why haven't I been doing this?"  Why indeed!  These are thoughts of a daughter, a granddaughter, a mother, a wife, a cousin (like in my case), an aunt etc.  Most who will read these essays have that in common with Joanne.  There are people you know who might enjoy knowing what you think and what experiences you have been exposed to.  Wouldn't it be nice if you let them know by writing them down as my cousin Joanne has done.  It's never too late to get started.  I will be posting them here about one a week and do so with Joanne's permission.  Hope you keep coming back.  Leave your comments below.    Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown

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