We’ve all read those lists, ‘You know you’re from a small town when…’ Well I’ve decided to choose the most relevant facts that apply to my own hometown and make it its very own list. Here we go!
- Everybody knows everybody: This may seem crazy, but it’s actually very true. Even if they’re 50 years older than me they still say, “Oh yes you’re Daylon and Kay’s daughter aren’t you.”
- All you needed on a Saturday was a bonfire and your friends (or someone’s shed if it was too cold outside).
- And when all else fails, driving around on the back roads to nowhere worked just as good to make it a successful night.
- Always thinking your hometown is the best around.
- And that the town next over is trashy. (This has evidentially been going on for generations, my aunts used to think a nearby town was the one full of ‘advanced’ girls, and well everybody still has the same thoughts today about that exact same town.)
- The town paper (Odell has the Village Voice, not technically a newspaper, but it works) is always full of the latest news about the local 4-H clubs, honor roll students, birthday wishes, local sports teams (t-ball on up), etc.
- Sports are king. Whether you like them or not, that’s what’s going on Friday night.
- And when the big game is over, win or lose, it’s time to gather at that designated place (for us it was the glorified back parking lot or a trip downtown)
- Since there isn’t a movie theatre or bowling alley around, we make our own fun no matter how absurdly crazy it might be (Remember our giant slip n slide on the 4th? Or the one time we rode by brother’s stroller down the hill? So much entertainment for free :) )
- Being able to leave your car and house unlocked at any given time of the day (Unless you’re on senior sneak and those juniors are plotting against you)
- Senior sneaks still exist because your class is small enough to be able to afford it (I graduated in a ‘big’ class. We had 26 people.)
- Peace and quiet is completely normal, even downtown, any given night of the week.
- You pretty much have the same hair stylist from the time you’re a child to being an adult.
- You know everyone in your town so well that it’s impossible to find anyone to like, they’re like your brothers!
- You can play with fireworks any given time of the year, who cares because…
- There’s only 1 ‘cop’ in town, and he definitely won’t be giving you ticket!
- There’s that one feared person in town that everybody has a story about. And they probably have more than one nickname, but I’m not gonna name names here!
- And then there are the legendary people of the town, most of the time teachers that taught not only you, but your older brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents (In Odell a few that come to mind would be Mr. Rupprecht, Mrs. Pavlik, Mr. Wallinger, Coach Shoff....the list goes on and on).
- There is inevitably the existence of a ‘Lover’s Lane’ somewhere outside of town.
- It’s an everyday thing to see the stars at night—and yet it never gets old.
- Rain was not only good for all the local farmer’s crops, but also for the minimum maintenance roads—mudding time.
- The County Fair was quite possibly the biggest event of the entire summer. It’s where all the small town kids gathered for those four amazing nights.
- There is no keeping secrets, as soon as one person knows, they think it’s okay to tell someone else, but before you know it the whole dang town knows!
- There are the big families whose last names will forever be associated with the town.
- If for some crazy reason someone says something negative about your beloved town, you feel as though they’ve killed a little piece of you.
- And when they say something nice, you smile as if they’re talking about your pride and joy.
- Because in the end, it’s that town that made you exactly who you are today.
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