We just returned from a week at Amelia Island in Florida, and I have to say, small-town living can be very attractive! I always felt I was a big city girl, but after being here for a while, I may change my mind. Allow me to explain…
For starters, I did not have time to get a mani/pedi before I left Atlanta so I decided to have one in Florida. Not only did I not need to book an appointment three weeks in advance, but I paid half of what I pay in Atlanta! What a great surprise. I then went to the post office to mail bills that had been in my purse for three days. What a delight! In Atlanta, when you walk into my branch of the USPS, the line is about 20-25 people deep (I’m not exaggerating) and there is only one clerk behind the desk. Here, it was just the opposite: our clerks, one customer in front of me, and a postal service employee smiling at me and asking me how he could help. No line, a smile, and a great attitude to boot! And, mind you, it was April 15th, Tax Day. In Atlanta, my post office stays open until midnight that day and requires three or four Atlanta policemen to control traffic. It was refreshing to avoid that kind of chaos.
Later on that evening, I realized my printer was out of ink so I ran to Staples. The store manager and a young man were there ready to help as soon as I walked in the door. They both helped me, tested my printer, and offered to help me to my car! The young man seemed to be young enough to be a high school student working there part-time., but he was very customer service-oriented and I made a point to tell the manager how lucky he was to have such a great employee.
Amelia Island is very small and you can get anywhere in 10 minutes. Try that in Atlanta, where the average commute is over an hour. Oh, and not only do they sweep the streets here, but they sweep the highways too!
Small-town living as portrayed on TV always looked hokey to me, but after a week here, I think I could get used to it! I bet people live longer here. No wonder people retire in Florida!