When I walked into My Favorite Place for Joe this morning, the shop owner was standing behind the counter and watching the news (everyone is watching the news). He barely looked up but took a 16-oz. cup from the stack and said, "Ethiopian, right?" "Right," I said. It's the richest blend he sells--deep and rich and tasting of coffee, unlike some of the milder blends that taste like brown water. It's not that I'm so predictable. It's that the guy knows I like the darker roasts which change from day to day. If I stop by tomorrow, he'll probably take a 16-oz. cup from the stack and say, "Winter Fantasy, right?" Winter Fantasy is a rich roast blend with a hint of cinnamon but just shy of being flavored. The guy also knows I don't like flavored coffee.
When I walk into the dry cleaners just around the corner, I am greeted by Buster and Buzz, two little white Scottie dogs. I call them "Scottie dogs" because I'm not sure what they are, but they look like George Bush's black dog which I believe is a Scottish Terrier. Anyway, while Buster and Buzz beg for attention, the shop owner processes my order, never having to ask my name because we have become pals. She wants to have lunch. We can stand in that little dry cleaning business and talk for 30 minutes about our kids, the community, the weather, all of the above. The other day, my debit card malfunctioned in the machine, and the shop owner shrugged, "It's OK, I know you're good for it." She didn't even flinch when I waited nearly a week to pay the bill.
When I stopped by My Favorite Place for Yarn yesterday afternoon (even though I have given up knitting for the time being), and I greeted my dear friend who owns the place, I was greeted in return by the Flower Shop owner, the Gift Shop owner, and the Interior Design shop owner. We had mini-reunion, they called it, because I haven't been free to visit as I would like over the past couple of months.
This mish-mash may seem like useless rambling to you, but it all fits together to demonstrate how lovely and friendly and home-like is my Tiny Slice of the Pie. I was just thinking about that on my way to work today.
When I walk into the dry cleaners just around the corner, I am greeted by Buster and Buzz, two little white Scottie dogs. I call them "Scottie dogs" because I'm not sure what they are, but they look like George Bush's black dog which I believe is a Scottish Terrier. Anyway, while Buster and Buzz beg for attention, the shop owner processes my order, never having to ask my name because we have become pals. She wants to have lunch. We can stand in that little dry cleaning business and talk for 30 minutes about our kids, the community, the weather, all of the above. The other day, my debit card malfunctioned in the machine, and the shop owner shrugged, "It's OK, I know you're good for it." She didn't even flinch when I waited nearly a week to pay the bill.
When I stopped by My Favorite Place for Yarn yesterday afternoon (even though I have given up knitting for the time being), and I greeted my dear friend who owns the place, I was greeted in return by the Flower Shop owner, the Gift Shop owner, and the Interior Design shop owner. We had mini-reunion, they called it, because I haven't been free to visit as I would like over the past couple of months.
This mish-mash may seem like useless rambling to you, but it all fits together to demonstrate how lovely and friendly and home-like is my Tiny Slice of the Pie. I was just thinking about that on my way to work today.
Comments
Yikes! That'll scare Sassy.
I love your descriptions of "small town America".
We're the other way round here: nobody in my village knows who I am (I've only been using the village shop for seven years), yet in Westminster, everybody acts like in your town; my coffee is waiting on the counter by the time I reach it; everybody takes the time to chat …
Weird …
I like the photo from Andy Griffith one of my favorite shows by the way. Is that really opie (Ronnie Howard) there? He seems too heavy - looks more like the character called "Pugsly" from the Adams Family.
Nice post!!
Sounds like a great neighborhood. I'm looking foward to getting to know my new one.
Rich, I hadn't noticed the Pugsly resemblance, but you're right.
Sassy, I think I just knitted too much all at once. I'll get back to it eventually.
Prudence, I have suspected we live in a parallel universe.
I don't like flavored coffees, either. Something is seriously wrong with that whole concept.
I'm back in the 'town' I was born in. It's a whole lot bigger than it was when my mother gave birth to me 2 blocks from my current home. Yet, my heart is fed by relationships.