From the small town
The older I get (everyday I get a little bit closer to "old") I realize how different my upbringing is from many others. I think it funny how relatable my childhood is to those from Fairview, the place where I go to church. It is a country place, one stoplight, a McDonalds, a "city hall", and the rest. It is not too different from Marion.
Marion has more than one stoplight, in fact it, until recently, I thought was a large city. Most of the cities in my area are around 3,000 people, Marion had 5,000 (Asheville and Morganton are exceptions). So Marion had two McDonalds, a Wal-Mart, three "shopping centers", etc. But with any small town come small quirks. For instance:
The largest Livermush plant in North Carolina is in Marion. It is Hunter's Livermush. For those of you who have never had it, I suggest you get some! If I tell you what it really is (all the left over parts after the butcher has taken the meat off of the animal ground together until it is a nice square) you would probably say NO WAY! But it is surprisingly good. Most people eat it for breakfast, fried with egg and/or cheese. I like it raw.
The county courthouse has a black metal "thing" in the front lawn. A passer-by would drive down main street and never pay it any attention. But upon further study, you can see that it is an old horse trough that has been dipped in bronze then painted black. Apparently it was an original fixture for the courthouse. When you would get busted for jay-walking across the dirt roads of Marion or busted because you got a little drunk and ran out in the street wearing your wife's housecoat, you would need the trough for your horses while the judge was telling you how many chickens you had to give to the state to prevent you from having to reside in the Mayberry-like jail.
The county's only newspaper THE MCDOWELL NEWS is a shining light for Marion. Offering stories of hope, adventure, wait. Who am I kidding? The paper is AWFUL! The only good part is that in a town with a church on every street corner (sometimes two) and Republicans in every office, we have somehow found a liberal and I mean L-I-B-E-R-A-L editor. To read some of his items on Pres. Bush, visit www.mcdowellnews.com.
On the personal side:
COMING SOON!
Marion has more than one stoplight, in fact it, until recently, I thought was a large city. Most of the cities in my area are around 3,000 people, Marion had 5,000 (Asheville and Morganton are exceptions). So Marion had two McDonalds, a Wal-Mart, three "shopping centers", etc. But with any small town come small quirks. For instance:
The largest Livermush plant in North Carolina is in Marion. It is Hunter's Livermush. For those of you who have never had it, I suggest you get some! If I tell you what it really is (all the left over parts after the butcher has taken the meat off of the animal ground together until it is a nice square) you would probably say NO WAY! But it is surprisingly good. Most people eat it for breakfast, fried with egg and/or cheese. I like it raw.
The county courthouse has a black metal "thing" in the front lawn. A passer-by would drive down main street and never pay it any attention. But upon further study, you can see that it is an old horse trough that has been dipped in bronze then painted black. Apparently it was an original fixture for the courthouse. When you would get busted for jay-walking across the dirt roads of Marion or busted because you got a little drunk and ran out in the street wearing your wife's housecoat, you would need the trough for your horses while the judge was telling you how many chickens you had to give to the state to prevent you from having to reside in the Mayberry-like jail.
The county's only newspaper THE MCDOWELL NEWS is a shining light for Marion. Offering stories of hope, adventure, wait. Who am I kidding? The paper is AWFUL! The only good part is that in a town with a church on every street corner (sometimes two) and Republicans in every office, we have somehow found a liberal and I mean L-I-B-E-R-A-L editor. To read some of his items on Pres. Bush, visit www.mcdowellnews.com.
On the personal side:
COMING SOON!
posted by J Lane | 7:21 AM
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