Those who grew up in small towns will laugh when they read this. Those who
didn't will be in disbelief.
1) You can name everyone you graduated with.
2) You know what 4-H means.
3) You went to parties at a pasture, barn, gravel pit, or in the middle
of a
dirt road. On Monday you could always tell who was at the party
because of
the scratches on their legs from running through the woods when the
party was
busted. (See #6.)
4) You used to "drag" Main.
5) If you said the "F" word, your parents knew within the hour.
6) You scheduled parties around the schedules of different
police officers, because you knew which ones would bust you and which ones
wouldn't. And before Monday your teachers would know all about the party
& who
had attended. Maybe they even knew beforehand & that could be the reason the
party was busted.
7) You could never buy cigarettes because all the store clerks
knew how old you were (and if you were old enough, they'd tell your parents
anyhow.)
8) When you did find somebody old enough and brave enough to
buy cigarettes, you still had to go out into the country and drive
on back roads to smoke them.
9) You knew in which section of the ditch you would find the
beer your buyer dropped off.
10) It was cool to date somebody from the neighboring town.
11) The whole school went to the same party after graduation.
12) You didn't give directions by street names but rather by
references: Turn by Nelson's house, go 2 blocks to Anderson's, and it's
four
houses left of the track field.
13) The golf course had only 9 holes.
14) You couldn't help but date a friend's ex-boyfriend/girlfriend.
15) Your car stayed filthy because of the dirt roads, and you
will never own a dark vehicle for this reason.
16) The town next to you was considered "trashy" or "snooty,"
but was actually just like your town.
17) You referred to anyone with a house newer than 1965 as the
"rich people".
18) The people in the "big city" dressed funny, and then you
picked up the trend 2 years later.
19) Anyone you wanted could be found at the local gas station,
the drug store, or the town bar.
20) You saw at least one friend a week driving a tractor
through town or one of your friends driving a grain truck to school
occasionally.
21) The gym teacher suggested you haul hay for the summer to
get stronger.
22) Directions were given using THE stop light as a reference.
23) When you decided to walk somewhere for exercise, 5 people
would pull over and ask if you wanted a ride.
24) Your teachers called you by your older siblings' names.
25) Your teachers remembered when they taught your parents.
26) You could charge at any local store or write checks without any ID.
27) The closest McDonalds was 45 miles away (or more).
28) The closest mall was over an hour away.
29) It was normal to see an old man riding through town on a
riding lawn mower.
30) You've "relieved yourself" in a cornfield.
31) Most people went by a nickname.
32) You laughed your butt off reading this because you know it
is true, and you forward it to everyone who may have lived in a small town.
