Small Radius, Bold Core

Approaching the green population sign with the all too familiar name, immediately gives a sense of comfort and safeness. A small change to the recognizable faces, cars, and houses in town is immediately apparent. Falls City is a small, friendly town and so much more. It is an extended family, a support group, a warm smile and a friendly conversation. Not all communities offer the same support system; because most towns do not have fewer than 600 people. Everyone in some way, shape, or form is connected; whether it be family or just generations of family friendships. When a crisis occurs, it hits close to home with everyone in town, and the pain feels as if it were someone in your immediate family. Nothing is more comforting than knowing that someone is always going to be there for support; whether it is a crisis situation or a celebration in your life.

However, in small towns such as Falls City, everyone is always aware of either the towns or an individual’s business. In a town that has 3 family-owned restaurants, 1 grocery store, and 2 gas stations, everyone knows everyone’s personal lives. People feed off of the trials and tribulations that life throws in our paths and enjoy speaking of these over coffee at the Palace Café. Walking into the doors you can feel the heads turn and the conversations begin firing up. What is she doing now? Who is she? Have you heard? There is a 99% chance anyone can guess what is on their minds. Those same faces and same looks can be linked to those same conversations.

There is one prominent religion in the town, Catholic. Everyone sits in the same pew week after week. It is certain if someone is passing through from out of town and decides to stop for mass, sits in a “reserved” seat, and did not want to move, they would be given a very unfriendly welcome. It is extremely humorous how hypocritical people in the town are about small things, such as the story just mentioned. There have been many times, incidences like this have all occurred and all one can do is laugh. Church is not the only area people are territorial about in Falls City. Community members will always drink coffee at the same time, same place, same table, leaving the same tip. It does not matter what the satiation may be, Falls City is full of creatures of habit. Change is unwelcome, regardless of the situation. This past year the athletic director made a decision to accent the football teams jerseys with a black border. Many parents demanded a school board meeting because they felt the athletic director was changing the school colors from traditional blue and white. Changes have to be made or that have been made have to be slow, to give everyone the opportunity to adjust.

Falls City is a place I would prefer not to make my home and a town not to raise my family in. Many people grasp the idea of a closely knit community and all the benefits it has verses a larger community. As in every situation people do not always see the downfalls to situations or the “bad” side of things in regards to small towns. Because of the lack of activities that go on in the community, most of the townspeople resort to sitting at the local gas station/bar most days of the week. Many families in town are broken marriages, which relate back to alcohol being the underlying factor in a majority of them. This, of course, can occur in any city, regardless of the size, but from a personal standpoint in small town allows its members to get away with it. There is not one police officer in the town, only a county sheriff. This is important because many people feel they can consume alcoholic beverages with no limit, because there is a very slim chance that they will receive a violation for their actions.
Word Count: 672