I had computer problems for a couple days, and I am somewhat late in submitting this column. That statement in and of itself is something of a revelation for me. I would have bet all my money, at one time, that I would never have owned a computer, much less do anything on it.
Well, wonders never cease!
Iíll take the good old days anytime, and Mark Winekaís columns about old Salisbury, and her wonderful citizens have certainly brought back the memories for me. Iíve read and enjoyed every one of them. When I moved to Salisbury, in December of 1961, it was still a little town, with a down-home, small- town feel to it. I remember walking up Innes Street, and down Main Street, and gentlemen would tip their hats to a lady, and I can recall, as if yesterday, standing in line to buy a ticket for the old Capital or Center theaters. What fun!
I was in the movie house once with a friend, and I couldnít help but marvel at the huge seat I was occupying. I thought it wonderful that a theater would install such a generous and comfortable theater seat. After the show I was told that was for Sheriff Shuping personally! What sort of a town would have a personal seat for its sheriff? Well, Salisbury of course.
The day Oestreichersí burned downtown, I left work, as did a lot of people, and we hurried down to Main Street to watch the fire department in action. We all knew everyone there and were on a first-name basis with nearly all the firemen, so it soon became an interesting way to spend an afternoon.
Teenus Cheney used to have blood work done at the hospital lab about every month, and he always stopped in to see me and say hello. Little did I realize that Teenus, like the good columnist he was, always was on the lookout for a unusual and interesting story. I found out several days later when he ran a column about local ěsouthpaws,î and there was my name. I think that was only the second or third time I had ever had my name in the paper, and it was heady stuff, believe me!
The point of all this is that we were a close-knit community, a family of sorts, and we looked out for one another. Crime was almost unheard of in Salisbury back then. I used to drive anywhere at any time of the day or night, and I canít remember ever locking my door when I left.
Iím smart enough to realize we canít go back to those times, we have to progress and move forward, but people being people, wouldnít it be wonderful if we could bring that glorious small- town, down-home feeling back to us? Watch out for one another and be so neighborly that weíd never want to leave a place?
With tough times, war and political unrest, we need that. Treating one another like family, and the gifts we all are is how it should be, and could be again. As John Lennon once said in a song, ěall we need is love.î
Janet McCanless lives in Salisbury.