As my husband and I sat watching Numb3rs (Episode #16) Obsession - I had an epiphany of what makes Iowa special. The celebrity on the show was quoted as saying "It's better than the alternative.....moving to Gary, Indiana. My mother lives there, no one pays attention to you there"
I lived just south of Gary for most of my life - I can attest to the truth of that statement. The only time someone payed attention to you was when you stole their parking spot at the mall...and then it wasn't a pleasant experience. There were many times that my husband and I actually believed we were indeed invisible. On more than one occassion we found ourselves sitting in an eating establishment for more than 20 minutes without one person stopping at our booth to offer us assistance.
Cedar Rapids home of 120,758 people is a big city with a small town mentality. When you drive down the street, people wave. When someone asks you how you are; they really want to know. Iowans are genuine, honest and friendly. I am even on a barter system to have my dog groomed.
The news is full of feel-good stories. I used to find this odd. Now I find it oddly comforting. Never would I think of my morning weatherman as "the guy next door".
Iowans often ask me why I would ever want to leave a place so close to Chicago - I sometimes wonder why it took me so long to leave.
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