My Hometown

I am going home this weekend so I decided to write a little about Deer Park, AL. I will start by saying that it is a dot on a map. So, let's begin with what I love and some of the loves are also the hates.

I love that  everyone knows everyone. This is bc I know beyond a shadow of a doubt if I have a flat tire the people who stop are there to help me not ass rape me before robbing and shooting me. It also makes you town like a big family. I have never known a situation where there has been a poor person who needed help that did not receive it. The people are tight knit, protective of one another, and love each other regardless of what is going on in their lives.

I love the peacefulness of the country. I don't want to have it everyday but when you need a break it is the place to be. I can sit on my Moms front porch and hear nothing but nature.

I love the pace of life. Things just seem to move a little slower there. People take the time to wave as u pass by. They stop to say hello and ask how you are doing and they mean it. A friday night football game is as exciting as the world series. It is simple but in a good way.

I love that you always know somebody to do that cheap no matter what it is. You need your car fixed, Leroy can do it for half price bc he's your daddy's cousin. You need your roof fixed, Jake will do it bc he just got out of jail and needs work. He's on the prayer list at church. You need your hay hauled, the boys from the football team will do it for free bc the coach, who is married to your brothers best friend, wants them working in the heat before fall training. Well, you get the point.

Now a few reasons I hate it:

People stay in other peoples business. You can't fart silently on my mama's front porch before the whole community knows it stinks. There is ZERO personal space. Again, that whole family thing. They will still love you and they will probably feed you but they will talk about how you married a drunk while they do it.

There is a lot of ignorance. I don't mean stupidity, I mean ignorance. They will vote based on religious belief alone or race or some other stupid issue that won't change and isn't really in their best interest. Often times, they are not accepting of people from the outside. Now, I think this is found everywhere bc city folk aren't usually accepting of country folk either but that just is what it is.

Now, for my biggest hate. It is just simply inconvenient. There is little to no cell service. Good luck with high speed Internet. If you enjoy shopping or a movie you better also enjoy driving bc you are going to have to drive at least 30 minutes for walmart and an hour for the mall.  If you are a lover of good music or art, you can forget it. If it isn't hunting, fishing, four wheeler riding, or farming you are out of luck.

I actually love my hometown quite a bit. It gave me my love for TV, an ability to accept many different people, a healthy appreciation for not gossiping too much, a giving spirit, a place where I will never be a stranger, and a family I love very much. Like all places, it is about taste. What you want more? Convenience or the peace of nature,  anonymity or people in your business but love you, four wheeler riding or art museums....I would recommend it to anyone who loves the country life.