I live in a small town, a very small town. Small towns have many advantages, especially when it comes to raising kids; however, sometimes it gets freaky close.
I didn’t grow up in a small town, so this way of trustworthy living is all new to me. Things are still done on a handshake around these parts. People know where you live, where you work, where you get your teeth cleaned. Their uncle is the dentist, so they also know how many cavities you had last year.
The eye doctor in JCPenny is also the mayor of the next town. My son’s teacher is mayor of another neighboring town. People are close here. Family is tight and enemies last for generations. Politics are complicated and often require more than the facts.
My mother has a habit of making fun of our small town way of life. She doesn’t get it. Coming to visit me is like taking a vacation to a foreign land, the language is the same, but she needs a customs cheat-sheet.
That’s why I know she’s gonna love the story of my traveling lamp.
Lamps.com contacted me and offered to send me a lamp. I recently moved things around in my house and redid my home office. I hand-painted my desk and added a funky graphic design to the walls, but I was missing something – a desk lamp.
So, I placed an order for a lovely new light for my desk and waited.
Late last night there was a knock on my back door. I knew it was our neighbor, because no one else ever uses that door. My husband got up to go be cordial and two minutes later he came walking into the living room with a package.
“The neighbor got your lamp.” he said. “It was delivered to his job.”
You see, the UPS man went to deliver my lamp, but he got the addresses mixed-up. He thought my neighbor ordered a lamp. He probably noticed it was a little dark in his living room. So the UPS man, knowing my neighbor was in work, delivered his package to his job, the liquor store. My neighbor scratched his head for a moment and wondered if his wife ordered a new lamp, but then he realized it was for me. Of course it was, so he brought it back home.
My friends, you know you live in a small town when the UPS man knows where you work and decides to deliver your packages accordingly.
Mail doesn’t get lost around these parts, it travels. Eventually, it ends up at your door, but sometimes it goes through the dentist’s uncle’s cousin’s teacher first.
It’s a small town.
Anyway, I couldn’t be more thrilled with my new lamp. To say I love it is an understatement. Even my kids think it’s pretty cool. After all, I have the Pixar lamp now.
The quality is exceptional. I’m absolutely rethinking the decision to fill my house with twenty-dollar lamps – bad idea. This lamp is heavy, sturdy, and quite durable. In a word, it’s beautiful.
Thank you Lamps.com. I will certainly be shopping with you in the future.
My lamp is called a Dimond D2176 Chrome Ingelside Desk Lamp.
Does your house need a little more lighting?
Maybe you live in a small town and think my story sounds like just another day in Smallville, USA, but perhaps you’re slightly aghast, like my mom. If you have a small town story, please share it in the comments.
Looks great, Tricia!
I can understand, totally, about your mail situation! I grew up in the Virgin Islands & EVERY one knew everyone else & everything about them! It’s not bad just different! 🙂
As far as the lamp, I love it! I will definitely be going to their web sight….I’m in need of some lamps.
Thanks for your story.
The last small town we lived close to was like writing a new Frank Perreti book! It had all the contents of his books, murder, intrigue, sabotage, infidelity, you name it, it had it! We were ostracized because we kept our 4 children at home to school them. It took money out of the district and they didn’t like that. I started writing my own book on the situation because I figured it would have to be a best seller! We eventually moved closer to a safe small town, a little larger and more controlled. I get the whole wrong mailbox thing. We get other people’s mail quite often or we get mail that just has our name, but we do get it, eventually. I think one letter floated around for at least a month before it got to us. We love our small town and have experienced being brought up in a very large city. Personally, it is hard for me to even leave our property and go in town for groceries. I love the country, and I am always glad to get back home. I ask my husband the other day if I was becoming a recluse. He said, “no way! We love being with each other”. What a sweet guy. Once again, your blogs are super and I always enjoy reading them. Blessings!!!
I like the lamp. No comment about the delivery of it!! I am too busy laughing.
Oh, that lamp does look smashing on your desk! I grew up in the country and know that some of those things apply even in a rural community.
I grew up in a small town and now live in the suburban jungle on the edge of another small town. I long to have that kind of small town feel. I don’t know most of my neighbors and kids playing outside is a rarity in my townhouse jungle. I envy you that fee. And love the lamp!