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.