When I think of The city I think of industry. Opportunities. Skyscrapers. Businessmen/women in suits. Apartments that are way too expensive. Hustle and bustle. Money. Something to do.
This idea of the city may wrong; I've never set foot in the town or known anything more about it than what is on various form of media. I'm from a small town in western Maine; we have more trees than people. However, comparing it to where I am from makes it seems like an economic wanderland.
You see, my hometown of Wilton was once great. It had multiple manufacturing plants (all within walking distance from each other) that employed the town. The town had some worth- granted it was the boom of the industrial revolution and business was booming. Immigrants (mostly Italian) were pouring into the town to cut the stone in quarry one town over and to work in the plants. My dad's family came to Wilton during this time, roughly the early 1900s. They came from Northern Italy and worked just like all the other Italians in town; hard and without rest. The years that followed proved just as prosperous, in spite of the quarry reducing in size.
Wilton was still a nice town when my Dad was born. The plants were still around and business was still strong. Main street had its own Men's and Woman's clothing store, barber shop (my grandfather's) and grocery store. Things were good and wholesome. People had pride in their lives. A house never went into disrepair and it was considered a sin to let your lawn grow too long. Those were the golden years of Wilton. All was good in this little immigrant town. Too good. Nothing gold can last.
Every time you wear Bass shoes, think of Wilton and the hundreds of other towns like us.
My Dad talks of G.H. Bass moving the shoe (manufacturing plant) overseas like it was the rapture. It was the first time he saw his grandfather cry. The man knew what was coming, and he had all the reason to be upset. One by one, the businesses started to leave the area. They dried up like a puddle in August, slowly at first. Then poof! Gone. Time hasn't helped the town any either.
Now to present day. The once pristine houses have fallen into disrepair and are now a shadow of themselves. The town has little industry (don't get me wrong, there are some businesses in the area, but how many pizza shops does it take to employ a whole town?) and is classified as a slum. The town has turned into a dive and is unattractive to business. The area that was once prime tenements has evolved into houses that are constantly dark and need to be torn down.
Fosters' Mill is still half torn down. No $$$ to finish the job.
Jenny K, this is where you and I have some similar feelings. I really want to stay in this town, but I don't know how it will be possible. Right now, there are three big employers in the area. They are the Paper Mill (hasn't made money in over ten years), Hospital (narrowly avoided bankruptcy... patients can't pay bills), and the school (if both the mill and hospital go... well shit). There is no industry here anymore. There is no way to make money in the town that I love.
I must leave the place that I want to stay in.
This realization has shook me to my core. The only way I can one day buy in Wilton is to get a job outside of the area. This isn't easy to swallow, but its reality. When choosing my major, I took this into consideration, and was fortunate enough be accepted to my first choice. My major? Marine Transportation and Operations, basically learning how to one day be a captain of a ship. When that day comes, I'll be shipping out for about three or four months to be at sea. When I return Wilton will be waiting for me.
I hope things are better where you are J.
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