Tuesday, January 26, 2016

"She Thinks" is the prompt...Farewell Dillon's

10 minute writing prompt for class...we are not allowed to stop, correct or anything, just keep writing no matter where it takes. you.

"she thinks"

She thinks the world would be better without facebook...and twitter. I enjoy the internet, but no one really talks anymore. I'm a talker. More one on one, but if I'm comfortable,a group is fine. Letters are nice. I sent one last week. How many people still do that?  I want to get letters. I miss the paper in my hands and knowing their handwriting. I can still see the handwriting of my friends in my head. Does anyone take notice of it now? As a kid, I incorporated it with their personality somehow...it was a part of them...just as knowing what their voice sounded like. I miss phone calls. Texting is great at times, but a quick call...just to hear how the other person is...if I hear stress or if they sound down...you just can't tell in email. They may be struggling with so many things. With my old friends, I can tell by their voice when they are covering how they feel. But I have to hear it. I used to love to watch my dad and mom sign their names on checks. My dad was a judge for 30 years...I watched him sign a lot. I used to practice their signatures. I never thought of using it when I shouldn't, I just wanted to see if I could do it. I think it's great that we can all live where we want to live, but I do see how moving out of a community, especially in Kansas, can affect if the town will continue to thrive or not. My little town of St. John, Kansas, population 1100, just learned that their town grocery store, Dillon's, is closing within 2 weeks. There will no longer be a grocery store...I am so shocked and saddened by this, still. I have so many memories there. I used to sneak out of music class in 7th grade to buy cookie dough (you know, the ones in the tube) and go back so that my friend, Erica and I could eat it. The store clerks knew I shouldn't be there...but they never said a word. Everyone that worked there graduated from the same school. My mom taught there for 40 years. My friends parents were either teachers, farmers, lawyers (there were only 3 practices I think) or worked in the court house. Being the judges daughter had perks...I never got a speeding ticket. But I only got pulled over a couple of times...I didn't abuse it. I never used my parents' city stature to better my situation...I was just proud. They still live in St. John...not together, but still there. My older sister and her family are there. But a lot of my friends' parents moved to the area their children settled. There used to be more jobs...in the 50s and 60s, you stayed there after you graduated. You were part of the community. Only a couple of my classmates are there. I graduated with 23 others. And the town square, where all the businesses were...lining the streets with the town park in center...with a fountain...and enclosed by cement wall...a square. There was parking all along it...and at night we would cruise it...we would stop at Dillon's and get a pop and junk to eat. My dad went every day. He never over bought...he just got what they needed for a day or two. He and his wife are very concise. I would walk in with Dad and everyone would say, "Hi judge!" He didn't act like he was any better...he mostly liked to fish and talked about it with the people we ran into. My mom always sent me to the store with a check she'd signed. The store was a staple in my childhood. It's a staple for our community. The elderly will struggle to get groceries. The nearest grocery store is 25 miles in a much bigger town...with lined streets and stop lights. We don't have those things. It was great. But it seems this could cause it to be more like a ghost town. Slowly things are leaving. Most of the businesses are empty around the square. It's so depressing to go there. And now, to go home and not see Dillon's....my heart is broken.

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