Small Towns

Just did a small town last night called Lion's Head last night. A tiny little place on the mouth of some lake with a population of roughly 1000 people. It's always a fun experience to venture into these little villages and see the other way that human beings select to live their lives. No street lights, no traffic, no crime, no Subways - transit or sandwich - and no sign of caring about anything that city folk seem to value. Small towns are diffirent and thus must be mocked.

These towns usually don't have street or building names. You usually have to just take a left at the Miller's house on the street where the crazy guy lives on to get to the gig, which is held in Don's bar. The people I meet tend to be in a state of muted awe. Perhaps it's my height, perhaps it's the cell phone, but whatever it is, they always know I'm not from 'round here, and logically deduce that if I'm in their town, I must be the comedian-guy, and they are always willing to help me with local talk to put in my 'skit'.

The economy of small towns is odd. In Toronto, you walk into a busy Subway - the sandwich one - and one person is working their ass off to serve a dozen city folk. In small towns, the same place would have 5 people working to serve 2 people, both of whom are friends who popped in to say hi. I don't know how the small town economy works. It seems inflated and I'm puzzled as to how they sustain operations. More people are working than are consuming. I guess that's why they bring in the comics.

The people, though, always seem to be happy to have you. Always happy to tell you a little about their life, their town, and how much the rival city is far better of far worse. They love to buy you a drink, they love to make you laugh and they always do their best to make you at home. They love to invite you to their other watering hole, which is sometimes their house, and that, from experience, is just not a good idea.

All in all, as I make my across this province, country, world, I'm noticing how similar many of these places are. Be it Lions Head, Fairview or Cereal, small towns are quaint and never fail to make me happy to see the bright lights, traffic and smog of the city every time I return.