Where else would there be clerks with protective umbrellas, escorting people to their cars during a horrendous rain, thunder, lightning storm?
In spite of the ‘overhang’ on Lin’s building, the recent wind and rain had a mind of its own and was drenching me as I waited for my husband to pick up me and my groceries. I soon recognized that Skyler Neil was standing at my side holding an umbrella over me! (I didn’t even know Lin’s sold umbrellas.) Skyler stayed with me until I climbed into the car and Howard and ‘I drove off into the sunset’… well actually into more wind and rain.
We’ve experienced similar actions and attitudes in just about every shop we frequent here in Overton. Overton is where we shop! If it isn’t here – we wait until one of our children comes to visit and we ask them to bring ‘our needs’ with them.
We moved to Overton a little over 12 years ago and I was shocked when, after only a few times in the stores, I heard, “Hi Ruth. How’s your day going”? “Can I help you with anything today Ruth?”; :”Did you find what you needed? Well, let’s see if I can order that in for you Ruth… Yep, it’ll be here next week”… and on and on!
We raised our family in the small community of Lakebay, WA. It was probably about what Overton first was like. We had a ‘Mom/Pop’ grocery store, a post office, a gas station, a grade school and that was it!
After the umbrella experience I kept telling everyone, “And to think we moved from WA to get away from the rain!” When I said that to a lady I was walking in to the Post Office when she said, “Oh but my dear, it won’t last! We SO need rain for our valley”. I feel pretty sure she thought I was new in town. Bless her heart, she is right, we do need the rain. I just want it in smaller doses.
I hope we realize how fortunate we are to be living where we do. I also hope we learn to share our ‘umbrella’ (in the form of a small town attitude) with all of those around us.
So, as Red Skelton used to say…”God Bless”
Ruth Cragun
