Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Learning the words to "Happy Trails to you..."

The phone call came early in the day yesterday so I've had plenty of time to chew on the bad news.

The golden arches are on their way.

There's an abandoned Love's gas and zip on a corner at the southern end of town that serves as a kind of border between the newer developments popping up (WalMart Supercenter, GM dealership, Pizza Hut) and the older part of town. Ronald McDonald and crew are apparently foregoing their usual policy of requiring a minimal population of 5000 bodies before setting up a new drive-through window -- spurred on perhaps by the confidence building view of the new Walmart Supercenter being erected a mere 1/4 mile away.

Rumors are also flying around town of an impending Chili's franchise along with a Long John Silver's making home port within the city limits.

Don't get me wrong. I've got very few beefs (pun totally intended) against McD's, Chili's, LJS', or even Walmart, but their plans to set up shop here in my town may be the beginning of the end of my small town's innocence.

Finding a sympathetic ear among my fellow citizens may be hard to come by since there are very few who wouldn't love to add a few more of the pseudo-luxuries afforded by living closer to a large city.

I, on the other hand love the fact that we have to drive a good 45 minutes to get our Happy Meal zen on. A trip to the Golden Arches is a rare treat for the girls and a closer location would make it just another fast food joint in town to get a full weeks supply of saturated fat in a single meal.

Is this the beginning of the end? S thinks so. She's uncircling the wagons. We are kinda bummin'

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain. I spent a summer in your little town during my college days (working the oil fields in the late 70s) and grew to love it. I even got to see a couple movies at the old theater you've blogged about. If I were living there now with my wife and kids, I'd probably hate the growing intrusion of suburbia. Here's hoping a balance can be maintained and you can go on enjoying your small-town life in Oklahoma.

Patience said...

Yep. When Ronald moves in, life as you know it will never be the same. Cracker Barrel is just around the corner!!