10:27 p.m. | 2006-03-18 Spontaneity Is Not My Middle Name. But I�m Trying. To that end, I asked my BestestGirlfriend if she wanted to go to a festival held in the town I grew up in. Kind of. I don�t really have a hometown town since we moved a lot when I was growing up, but this festival is held in the town where I went from junior high through high school. To me? That�s where I got my legs, so to speak. It�s where I grew up. It�s a small town, of course. A very small town. And this festival? The biggest one that my �hometown� throws. One that no one ever wants to attend with me, generally speaking, because it�s lame, I guess. To those who haven�t grown up in small towns. It kinda is actually. Because it�s like a really big garage sale. Better though, but not so much. You know? It�s better because the volunteer firemen grill tri-tip sandwiches � well, and display their fire trucks and whatnot � and there�s rock climbing or something, but yeah, most people turn me down when I invite them. Let me just say that some folks are too sophisticated for this event. Except they�re really not. I know that because people, hoards of people, from sophisticated cities descend on this town for this particular event. It�s odd like that. A whole bunch of mountain folks mixed with a whole bunch of city folk. And, who would sincerely appreciate that as much as I do? My BestestGirlfriend. We made plans, executed them and had a blast. She appreciates small towns as I do. Small town Festivals? It�s like mining gold to us. We found a lot to love today � rubberband guns, sweet-smelling potions, great food � but were confounded several times. Be it art, jewelry or crafts. You know? Like when something is really pretty or creative or different? It catches your eye, initially, and then? Is it tacky or just plain odd? We had that conversation many times. The craftmanship? Totally respectable. The end result? Um, a little confounding. At least, that was our conclusion. But small towns? We love them. Both of us. Respect them, frankly. When a town pulls off any fest, it�s remarkable to us. That takes a lot of work. Really, a lot. And, of course, we knocked each other over several times. As we do. I love my BestestGirlfriend, and I presume she loves me. Whatever. We don�t have a physical personal space about us � we lean into each other a lot. We talk close, we walk close. Whatever. We�ve been knocking each other into the street since we�ve known each other. Today? My hometown � if you will � has very high curbs. Like, three feet curbs. Serious curbs. Did BG knock me off? Certainly. Every couple of feet actually. At her suggestion, we started walking on the street. But, I can�t dog her on that because it�s mutual. I knock her over as often as she knocks me over. Except in my Hometown, I guess. I�m sensitive about the curbs. Probably because people have died from the curbs. More from falling �on� them then �off� them. But still. That probably doesn�t make sense, generally speaking, but when people fall from a two-story place and land on their knees � on the raised curb - and face-plant on the asphalt street? It�s not only traumatic, it�s memorable. Mostly though, it�s stupid. At least to me. To lose your life over a spitting contest? Yeah, I don�t get it. See, BestestGirlfriend understands that kinda bullshit. Not that specifically, mind you, since they didn�t even have curbs where she grew up, but she understands the whole small town mentality (not that it doesn�t exist in the City) and just �gets� how those things happen. How that stuff is just a part of growing up in a small town. How it is to know a person who died from trying to spit � trying to projectile spit � at a shop across the street and ended up dead on the street below. Not a lot of people get that. I tend to like the people who do. your thoughts? seed flower