Or, The Rural Version of "Who's on First, What's on Second"
Imagine, if you will (and some of you won't have to imagine), moving to a new town. You no longer know where to find the grocery store, much less its layout and where to find your usual items. The post office's whereabouts are now a mystery. You can no longer go anywhere on auto pilot. Finding a gas station just got more difficult--much more difficult. You are disoriented. You are tired. You do not know where any of your possessions are, beyond the fact that they are in boxes.
In the course of conversation with a stranger (which is de rigeur here and I love it) she mentions a relatively new place she has been. "Oh, you should try the gym!", the woman exclaims. "I am a member there and really enjoy it."
"That sounds like a good idea," I say. "What is it called?" (Because of course I am thinking of my new best friend, the phone book, and of looking this facility up when I get home, because I'm from the city and we have lots of gyms there.)
"The gym", she says.
I'm a little confused at this point but I think either she didn't understand what I asked or I misunderstood her answer. "What is it called again?"
"Why, it's called the gym!"
Oh dear. Clearly there is some sort of communication gap here and we are apparently not going to breach it today. We continue chatting about other things and then part ways. Days pass and I forget about her recommendation of the-gym-with-no-name.
So imagine my laughter when one day I happen to pass a business with the name "The Gym." Of course it is, just like she told me!
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4 comments:
That's hilarious. This post and the last one about directions reminds me of my husband trying to give directions to our city friends.
When we first moved out here, I learned everything by exit number: 282 = fast food and grocery; 284 = Logan's and schools; 287 = home. Lee, who grew up out here, to this day does not know the exit numbers, and is more likely to mention something about taking the exit where Billy popped a wheelie and flipped his bike into a ditch back in grade school. (I totally made that up, but you get the gist.)
Yeah, yeah! And you know the directions on how to get to The Gym, right?
"It's where the Walmart used to be!"
I just joined a few months ago, and it is nice. They have all levels of classes, and most are free once you belong. They will give you a tour if you drop by.
This is great! Hey, I know where The Gym is! (not that I've ever set foot in the place myself...)
Countrypeapie, that's a great example and I know exactly what you mean.
Rurality, I'm hoping to be able to try it out once we sell our other house. I saw the owner of The Gym wrote a column for last week's issue of The Blount Countian and said she is going to begin writing a column regularly.
And now I do know where Walmart used to be, lol.
Mountainmelody, so you never went to the old Walmart either? ;)
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