Monthly Archives: April 2016

Nicknames . . . Don’t Call Me Rufus!

A lot of folks, especially men, in Smalltown go by a name other than that which appears on their birth certificates.  On East Street alone, we had a “Peeno”, a “Nuckie”, and a “Frenchy”, to name a few.   I’ve noticed that the use of nicknames is far more common in rural America than in […]

Need Directions? . . . Get Lost!

It’s hard to get good directions.  Last October, I was upcountry and asked a local where I might find some partridges (yeah, I know there are no partridges up there).  But, ask about grouse, and you’re sure to be instantly labeled as “one of them highbrows from down country.” Anyway, Alton, at the Lincoln Mobil […]

What Do I Do About This President Rubio Tattoo?

Did you every wake up with a headache and some new body art (like a Rubio for President tat)?  Me neither . . . honest.  I was just wondering about you.  This isn’t about me, is it? As I look around at the epidermis of my friends and neighbors, I’m seeing an investment opportunity that […]

I Wonder What My Gravestone Will Say

I took a walk with my beagle, Boozer, recently and we ended up in the Smalltown Cemetery.  I noticed there were headstones dating back to the early 19th century, and read many of the inscriptions.  As I did so, it occurred to me that most of the gravestones said little, other than the length of […]