I'm sure just like everyone, there is something that you love and something that you hate about your hometown, but if you say that, "I could never hate this place," or, "There is not one thing I even remotely like about this town," then you are lying to yourself. However, living in a small town, there are a few more things to love and definitely hate. I feel that for me, this was the case all too often. I have lived in Mudhole, OK (otherwise known as Muldrow). With college getting closer, it really has got me thinking about what there is to love and hate about this town
LOVE: It's not hard to get around here.
Getting around in a small town is no doubt a whole lot easier than in a big city. For instance, when giving directions most of the time we don't say to turn down 61st, we say turn by the car wash or by the Mexican restaurant. It also only takes about .2 seconds to get from one side of town to the other. Not to mention it saves gas, and in this economy, that's a big help.
HATE: There is legitimately not one thing to do.
Unless you enjoying fishing, hunting and worst of all, mudding. If you are like the rest of the semi-civilized world, you know that those 'fun' things to do can only be fun for so long. Like bigger towns we don't have a movie theater, so you can't exactly go watch the newest movies without driving 30 minutes to Fort Smith and making a full day of it. we don't have a skating rink (we did, but that was shut down just like every other thing that might bring one joy in a small town). And we most certainly do not have good shopping. That is, unless your idea of a good shopping district is two hardware stores, NAPA Auto Parts and 10 used car dealers. Finding things to do here is one of the hardest struggles, if not the hardest things of small town life. It is true finding things to do in a small town is pretty hard, but it kind of, sort of not really gets easier.
LOVE: Everybody knows everybody.
I mean not really, but I can easily tell you everyone's name in my graduating class. Then again most of us have been going to school together since we were old enough to walk. It is pretty great knowing everyone in your classes on the first day of school, and when you go to the closest Walmart, it's basically a class reunion. In my town we all love El Toro. When you go to eat on Friday nights, there is a 110 percent chance you will run into the entire teaching staff, 20 kids from school and at least one janitor or lunch lady. Living in a small town is great that way, but let me tell you, if you do not go to the Dollar Store with a full face of makeup and your Sunday best, you will most definitely see everyone and their brother.
HATE: Everybody knows everybody.
"Everybody knows everybody, everybody calls you friend." Those words by country music legend Tracy Byrd describe life in a small town. Everybody calls you friend. When everyone in a small town become 'friends,' rumors and sometimes fists fly. Most people tell their friends things that they don't tell everyone, but when one of those friends has a big mouth, word spreads like wildfire. You start finding things out about yourself you did not even know. It's no fun. While people in larger towns might have a hard time finding friends, we have a hard time keeping them. However, it just makes the ones that you have just that more important!
LOVE: Gas Station Chicken.
Need I say more?
Regardless of the size of your town or city, there is always some things to love and hate about it. The most you can do is love it for what it is and try to look past all of the bad things about it. Just like life, where there is a down, there is always an up!
