Grilled Cheese and French Fries
Yesterday I finally felt a little better from the flu so I
got myself up and got myself dressed and went to the next town over to do a
little banking and a little exercise. I
ended up having lunch in a quaint little luncheonette named JJs and had myself
a grilled cheese sandwich and french-fries.
I had a great conversation with the lady behind the counter
and two gentlemen who were finishing their lunch and doing crossword
puzzles. It was a great conversation
about the state of the economy in this region and how many vacant buildings
there are all over Upstate New York. I
live in a beautiful part of the country, so beautiful that you can see it
created in art all over the world. It is picturesque New England snow and
mountains that frankly could take your breath away if you let it. There are long winding country roads and a
beautiful sensibility and kindness of the people.
There is also an ugly part of the picturesque. All of the destruction left over from doing
business in the early days when not much concern was given over to the health
of the people living in the neighborhoods and on the waterways. The chemicals that were used in everyday
manufacturing and farming back in the day.
They have taken a toll on the economies of these towns and it is
reflected in the abandoned buildings and storefronts where these powerful
companies once stood and where farmers could sell their wares. Still you see signs of hope, small businesses
and artisans which come together and try their luck at the American Dream, a
dream that could be reborn with a little bit of help and some investment.
If we worked to find
innovative ways to clean up the environment and abandoned buildings and helped small businesses open in these
vacant stores we could provide jobs for the kids and hopefully maintain some of
the beauty and splendor(and downright niceness) of small town America. Everyone you meet is nice. It’s only an American Dream but I hope for
the day my son can bring his children for a decadent grilled cheese sandwich,
some French fries and an iced tea for fewer than 7 bucks and talk to people
about how things used to be and how we wish they could be again.
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