My town has under 500 people in it. There’s a post office, a fire department, a historical site and a Stewart’s. If I have to go to Walmart, I have to go to the next town over. I work in the next town over. I can hear the train from the next town over. I spend more time in the next town over then I do in my own. Most of my friends live in the next town over. The majority of my family lives in the next town over.

The next town over is known for a lot. First, it’s much bigger than my little town. There’s both good and bad areas in the next town over. There are some nice people that live in the next town over. On the other side, there was a murder not too long ago in the next town over.

When people ask me where I am from, I say I’m from the next town over. If people still don’t know where the next town over is, I say Albany. Albany is about a half hour away from the next town over. Albany has everything. My little town hardly has anything.

My little town is not found on most maps. We don’t have as many roads as the next town over. There’s a river that passes through my town, but the majority of the river, is in the next town over. There’s a community college that is near my town. But most people say it’s near the next town over.

My town is predominantly Caucasian. The next town over, has diversity. The population of my town has decreased. We come nowhere near the amount of people that live in the next town over. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who fought for women’s rights was born near my town. Most people identify her being born closer to the next town over.

The next town over was known for making carpets in the olden days. My little town, isn’t known for that.

Years ago, Hillary Clinton ate at a restaurant at the next town over. Rumor has it, she never tipped. Barack Obama visited a city near the next town over during his campaign. Rumor has it, he ate at a nice bakery near the next town over.

My friends always hang out in the next town over. We go shopping in the next town over. There’s a Target, a Panera, a Maurice’s, a Walmart and so much more; in the next town over.

My town however, is different from the next town over. There’s less chaos, more peace, less traffic, less people, less crime and it has more of a community feel rather than a city feel. I can go for a walk and not see anyone. I can go for a run and not see anyone.

Even though my town, is not the text town over, I wouldn’t want another place to call home. Even, the next town over.