My Modern Day Mayberry

I wrote this in April of 2013, about seven months after I left Trenton to come and work in Chiefland.  I re-read over it the other day, and all of these sweet faces and memories flashed through my mind.  This is what I have missed for so long.  This is what I'm coming back to.  :)

My Modern Day Mayberry

Main Street

There was a question posed to me the other day: Do you miss your old job?

What a loaded question.  Of course I miss my old job. My first thoughts were completely work-related.  I missed the creativity of my old job.  I enjoyed making up the newspaper; I honestly felt pride in the finished product every week.  I loved my coworkers.  I loved my Journal babies.  I loved that there was a fairly definite schedule to my work week.  There were VERY FEW things that I didn't like about my old job.

Then my thoughts began to wander...

You know what I really miss?  I miss Trenton.  Now, I can vividly remember wishing aloud several times that I could leave the town.  And granted, I only moved 11 miles down the road...but truthfully, it might as well be on the other side of the planet, as I never seem to get over there anymore.

See, Trenton was my modern day Mayberry.

The Journal

I miss having a "hen party" with Mrs. Cindy Jo each week and hearing all the latest gossip; hearing about Carrie's latest thrifty find or about Allie Claire or Whitt's latest funny story.  I miss hearing Mr. John say the same phrases over and over again; and Chris telling me something about the episode of South Park that was on the night before.  I miss seeing Mr. Mark's newest, beautiful orchid sitting on our counter.  I miss playing ball with Gus at the front of our store. 

The Courthouse

I miss walking into the Courthouse and seeing Mrs. Sabra and Lyndsay; and gabbing with Mrs. Cindy Chadwick.  Or seeing Lisa Renee or Mrs. Connie Sanchez's smiling face.  I miss taking a newspaper to Mrs. Dale Bryant at the Courthouse and having her give me an encouraging word.  I miss being able to have lunch with my friend Crystal Rodgers, and getting to hear about the crazies that have crossed her path recently. 

I miss selling a newspaper to that little, sweet, old lady that walks all over town, even the heat of Florida summer, with her cane and a dip of snuff tucked in her lip that has kept up with me since my Hitchcocks days. 

I miss having D. Ray come in, and sit in the chair that I deemed my "D. Ray chair" where he would always have a joke or a comment about me being his "streetwalker."  I miss his feisty wife, Mrs. Diana Harrison. 

The Cracker Box

I miss walking into the Cracker Box (or Crack Shack, as I lovingly called it) and seeing the Pine Grove Pastoral Staff to my right, Mr. Thomas Bryant and friends to my left and Mrs. Julie Kincaid smiling at me from the register.  Mrs. Julie is gorgeous and her personality is just icing on the cake, she always ready with a compliment to brighten your day and put a little pep in your step. And of course, I miss the Crack Shack's peach cobbler.  lol. 

I miss seeing the old man driving his lawnmower around town in his American Flag pajamas.  I miss seeing Mrs. Clara Nell riding her bike. 

I miss seeing a lemonade stand on the corner in the summer, set up to raise money for school supplies for less fortunate children.

Hitchcock's

I miss running into Hitchcocks and hearing Ryan singing or humming down the aisles as he stocks shelves; or hearing a dirty joke from Robyn in the deli and having Mrs. Karen just shake her head.  I miss catching up with Ren as I wait to check out.  I miss Mr. Gray Schofield walking around with his diet coke bottle. 

I miss the small town politics. 

I even miss being asked about my pedigree.

The truth is, y'all...I miss Trenton's familiarity.  I miss its warmth that just sucks you in.  I miss my Modern-day Mayberry.