As I wrote in the previous post, I am trying to find out where my sense of humor has gone. After spending time in deep meditation, I am thinking that it may have taken a short hiatus back to the small town down in southeastern Arizona where I grew up. It is hard to explain what growing up in a small town is like...it was a wonderful experience!!
Last week, one of my teachers who is from Bisbee (24 miles north of Douglas) brought me a copy of "The Bisbee Observer." Her husband wanted me to read an editorial about the Arizona Legislature. The editorial was about the direction our Legislature has been going or more correctly the lack of direction... It was a well-written piece that I absolutely agreed with.
As I turned the pages of this small, weekly newspaper, it brought back so many memories of the newspaper in Douglas. I remember when I was a senior in high school, one of my classmates backed into me in the school parking lot. She was afraid to tell her father and since there was no damage to my Uncle Johnny's camper, I said fine. Well, she went home and told her dad that someone had "hit and run" the car in the school parking lot. Apparently there was a small spot of light blue paint on her car from my uncle's truck. The next day the Douglas Police were waiting for me in the parking lot. The officer asked me to follow him down to the station, which I did--scared to death. When we got down there, I told the story of what had happened. There was a man standing there listening and he turned out to be the father of my classmate. Long story short--the father was embarrassed that his daughter was afraid to tell him and I was "exonerated." That was until the next day when the front page of the newspaper had a story about the accident. Basically it read, after the 100th accident of the year, Sheila was blah, blah, blah. It made it sound as though I had finally been caught after 100 accidents. Obviously, something like this would never happen in a big city!
Then there was the time during the Vietnam War when Timothy Leary came to Cochise County. I will never forget the headlines at the time "HIPPIES INVADE COUNTY!!"
The Bisbee Observer brought back those long ago memories of life in a small town where the pace is oh so much slower. On the back page was the Police Beat for the month of February, 2010. It was amazing to me to find the parallels between a month in Bisbee and a month (or day) at school!!!
Feb. 17 - A red bicycle was found behind the Warren Service Center; A Bisbee man reported items charged to his bank account through the Internet by an unauthorized person.
Feb. 18 - A video camera in a black carrying case was lost at the Lavender Pit overlook.
Feb. 22 - A set of keys found in front of the former Lyric Theater was turned over to the police; A medium black and with dog with no tags was found on Bisbee Road and taken to the shelter.
AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:
Feb. 21 - Cows were reported in the roadway in McNeil..
There is something to be said about life in rural Arizona. Maybe over spring break, I will take a trip down south and see if my sense of humor is somewhere to be found down there!!! One can only hope............
Last week, one of my teachers who is from Bisbee (24 miles north of Douglas) brought me a copy of "The Bisbee Observer." Her husband wanted me to read an editorial about the Arizona Legislature. The editorial was about the direction our Legislature has been going or more correctly the lack of direction... It was a well-written piece that I absolutely agreed with.
As I turned the pages of this small, weekly newspaper, it brought back so many memories of the newspaper in Douglas. I remember when I was a senior in high school, one of my classmates backed into me in the school parking lot. She was afraid to tell her father and since there was no damage to my Uncle Johnny's camper, I said fine. Well, she went home and told her dad that someone had "hit and run" the car in the school parking lot. Apparently there was a small spot of light blue paint on her car from my uncle's truck. The next day the Douglas Police were waiting for me in the parking lot. The officer asked me to follow him down to the station, which I did--scared to death. When we got down there, I told the story of what had happened. There was a man standing there listening and he turned out to be the father of my classmate. Long story short--the father was embarrassed that his daughter was afraid to tell him and I was "exonerated." That was until the next day when the front page of the newspaper had a story about the accident. Basically it read, after the 100th accident of the year, Sheila was blah, blah, blah. It made it sound as though I had finally been caught after 100 accidents. Obviously, something like this would never happen in a big city!
Then there was the time during the Vietnam War when Timothy Leary came to Cochise County. I will never forget the headlines at the time "HIPPIES INVADE COUNTY!!"
The Bisbee Observer brought back those long ago memories of life in a small town where the pace is oh so much slower. On the back page was the Police Beat for the month of February, 2010. It was amazing to me to find the parallels between a month in Bisbee and a month (or day) at school!!!
Feb. 17 - A red bicycle was found behind the Warren Service Center; A Bisbee man reported items charged to his bank account through the Internet by an unauthorized person.
Feb. 18 - A video camera in a black carrying case was lost at the Lavender Pit overlook.
Feb. 22 - A set of keys found in front of the former Lyric Theater was turned over to the police; A medium black and with dog with no tags was found on Bisbee Road and taken to the shelter.
AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:
Feb. 21 - Cows were reported in the roadway in McNeil..
There is something to be said about life in rural Arizona. Maybe over spring break, I will take a trip down south and see if my sense of humor is somewhere to be found down there!!! One can only hope............
3 remarks:
The parking lot incident cracked me up ... especially when it came out in the newspaper. Hang in there, it's ALMOST spring break.
Love & hugs,
Nancy
It is almost Spring Break! Nothing like a relaxing week to empower the spirit once again. Greg
Sanders and his wife Maureen, just went down to ole Douglas a couple of weeks ago and were very pleased with the looks of our fair city!!Maybe "going home" for a few days is in the cards!!
Love Ya and Keep the Faith.....it is almost St. Pat's Day!!!
Love and Hugs,
Sandra and Tomas
After living in the Phoenix area all of our lives, Casey and I moved the family up to Northern Arizona for a 5 year adventure. We lived in Snowflake, Show Low, and Pinetop/Lakeside... back when each of those towns had 1 traffic light and no major grocery or retail stores. (Unfortunately, that has all changed now.) The small town experience was both a cultural shock (in a good way) and refreshment for our souls. I loved how going to pick up a carton of milk could turn into a two hour experience due to running into all of the folks who wanted to hold our baby (Heather... born in Navapache Hospital, Show Low) and fill us in on the latest gossip and weather. I, too, loved the local paper. My personal favorite... how news would travel by word of mouth when the elk had begun their annual migration south and were crossing the highway near McNary. Everyone would jump in their cars and go line the highway to watch. Hmmm... I think I, too, feel a road trip coming on. Enjoy your Spring Break!
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