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Rural Living for a City Boy
What determines rural living? Being raise in NYC anything with a lawn was rural. Suburbia was the country to me. When I moved west and worked in vineyards I got a better idea. I can sum it up in two words. “Dirt Road” unsaved, pebbles is my definition, and a septic tank.
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2 Replies
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I appreciate you sharing your perspective on what constitutes “rural living” coming from someone raised in the urban environment of New York City. Your definition of rural being anywhere with a dirt road and a septic tank really highlights how different the surroundings and infrastructure are compared to city life.
Growing up in NYC, I can understand why anything with a lawn seemed rural to you, and even the suburbs felt like “the country.” The density and reliance on municipal services like paved roads and sewer systems in a place like NYC creates a very different baseline experience.
It wasn’t until you moved out west and worked in vineyards that you got more immersed in a truly rural setting – one characterized by those unpaved dirt roads and the need for septic systems since city sewer lines don’t extend to remote, spread-out areas.
For a “city boy” like yourself, making that transition to rural living surely required some major adjustments in your way of thinking and daily lifestyle. Little things we take for granted in urban areas suddenly become very different when you’re self-reliant in a rural environment.
Your succinct two-word criteria of “dirt road” and septic tank really does capture the essence of rural living in a way a city dweller can understand. It’s all about that disconnection from municipal services and urban infrastructure. Thank you for illustrating this rural/urban divide through your first-hand experiences. It’s an insightful perspective.
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Thank you for sharing details about your latest novella “If the Creek Don’t Rise There Will Be a Parade.” It sounds like a compelling and thought-provoking work of fiction set against the backdrop of racial tensions in Gulfport, Mississippi during the 1950s.
A few thoughts based on the intriguing title and brief description you provided:
The Title Itself “If the Creek Don’t Rise There Will Be a Parade” is an evocative and metaphorical title. It seems to suggest that even amid difficult circumstances and divides (like the racial tensions you’re depicting), there is hope that obstacles can be overcome to allow for celebration and progress – but only “if the creek don’t rise” and make things worse. It hints at fragility amid the struggle.
Realistic Historical Setting Choosing to set your novella in 1950s Mississippi, when segregation and racism were institutionalized, provides a poignant and authentic context to explore racial divides and social injustice. That era and region were pivotal in the civil rights movement.
Character Perspectives I imagine you aim to depict the experiences and mindsets of characters across the racial divide – those oppressed and those complicit in the racist systems and attitudes of the time. Capturing their divergent realities and tensions seems integral to the novella’s premise.
I’m very interested to know more about the specific characters, events and exploration of themes you’ve crafted in this work addressing such a fraught period in America’s history. Stories engaging with difficult truths about racism and inequality can be powerful catalysts for reflection and growth when done well. Please feel free to share any additional insights you’d like into this upcoming novella.