We live in Mayberry, or something so close to it, it's eerie. The other day I dropped Beckett off at preschool. Driving down Third Street, I noticed glass in the road, a lot of it. So I turned right out of the parking lot when I left, took Front Street around to Second Street and swung by town hall on my way to the market.
When I walked into town hall, Claudia, deputy town clerk, said, "Well good morning there Heather, how're you doin' today?" I responded in kind and then went on to tell her about the glass on Third Street. She picked up the phone, spoke to someone who clearly answered at the other end, hung up, and said, "It'll be taken care of right away, thanks for lettin' us know and have a great rest of your day!" Pleasant and happy as can be, and sure enough, I have no doubt it was taken care of in fifteen minutes or less.
Claudia is also the "owner" of Big Mama's Dogs, or BBQ, or whatever she's calling it that day. She got a cart, and a gas grill, an umbrella and a couple of folding tables, and she's at the Farmer's Market every Saturday. She starts off selling breakfast burritos and then moves into hot dogs, bratwurst and burgers as the day goes on. She also has grilled corn and other grilled veggies depending on the offerings at the farmer's market that week.
The night of the Chuck Pyle free concert in Limbach Park, "Big Mama" was there. She wasn't selling sodas that night because she had agreed with the HMMA merchants (historic monument merchants association), that she wouldn't since they were as a fundraiser. They were also selling lots of homemade cookies and brownies and rice crispy treats in order to raise money for a bandshell. Now all of this may seem very mundane to you, but to me it's all part of the whole Mayberry thing. Second Street Art Market and Bella Art & Frame hosted one of the concerts this year too, selling 18 dozen homemade goodies and raising $250+ for the band shell.
So anyway, back to Claudia. The night of last concert she was there and Beckett was thirsty, but the bookstore ladies weren't set up yet, so Beckett couldn't get a drink. She overheard him telling me he was thirsty. She poured some root beer (she sees him every week at the farmer's market, she knows his taste), and came over and gave it to him. She said, "well I agreed not to sell them, but I didn't say I wouldn't give my 'boyfriend' somethin' to drink."
She's also married to one of the Monument town policeman. Mayberry.
