Small town part two:

The cafe is the only real business in town: regular hours and folks talking over pie and coffee. The new bank tried to have an internet cafe/coffee shop. I went there once. No one every showed up behind the counter. I guess they were busy on the other side of the pass-through in the bank. I did see two computer stations. I don’t think they leave the bank vault like this, if there is a vault.

There is always talk of revitalizing downtown: a grocery store, recreation center, hotel, maybe a walking and biking path. The drawings come out during community events. They were out at the last pancake breakfast and chili cook-off. We all oohed and aahed over them, again.

My block was paved last summer (2009). Now I can walk to the Mead Cafe without getting my shoes muddy. We also have an upscale communication system. I write a note and walk to my neighbors on the newly paved street and leave it in their milk box. They send their son over to put the response in mine. I try to keep the glass bottles rinsed so it doesn’t smell so bad when you open the lid.

Channel 12 has all the latest town news: basketball fun night at the Mead Middle School Bulldog’s gym; recreation center committee wants “wish-list” submissions; grey table cat lost Tuesday on 4th Street, answers to “Kitty.” We are a small town with dreams and vision and we have our own exit off the interstate: the Mead exit.