Comments on: Secrets and Lies http://dervala.net/2003/12/28/secrets-and-lies/ A love letter Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:06:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Jerry http://dervala.net/2003/12/28/secrets-and-lies/comment-page-1/#comment-317 Jerry Wed, 21 Apr 2004 19:56:58 +0000 http://dervala.net/?p=508#comment-317 I don't think such ambivalence has to be related solely to a country. The rural area where my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great grandparents grew up, not fifty miles from the state capitol where I live, is now a foreign country to what I recall as a little boy. Neatly trimmed and well kept cemeteries are now abandoned and overgrown with weeds and brush. One bustling town that had a population of 800 souls at one time now has brush and trash crowding the streets. There are no businesses or offices in downtown. More than half the homes have been abandoned. There are about a dozen mobile homes just stuck in a convenient spot where the town park used to be. The city hall has long since been torn down. The population may be as high as 50. They're either older residents or they commute to the city for work. The disappearance of the so-called family farm in the mid-west is something not understood to outsiders. Whether it be the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas or Missouri the land is becoming desolate and devoid of human habitation. All is now owned by large corporations, some in the U.S., others in India or Japan. What populations remain in the few towns and cities work for the corproations and have perhaps a local market and gas station to meet their needs. Haircuts or mercantile stores, a place to buy a new tire or toys for children, may be a drive of two hours or more away. The large, great old German Cathedrals out on the plains, or the churches of the Protestant Scandinavians are largely abandoned. Many of the cathedrals are large and imposing structures on the outside, comparable to many that might be found in smaller towns and cities in Europe. They tend towards being a bit plain inside, although are not without colored glass windows in many cases. Well over half of them in two states are abandoned. When the roofs wear out, or the windows are broken, the water comes in and the process has turned a few into large places for storage of hay and other farm commodities. It's always strange, at least for me, to see the large crucifix over the altar looking down on ten truckloads of hay bales. I don’t think such ambivalence has to be related solely to a country.

The rural area where my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great grandparents grew up, not fifty miles from the state capitol where I live, is now a foreign country to what I recall as a little boy.

Neatly trimmed and well kept cemeteries are now abandoned and overgrown with weeds and brush. One bustling town that had a population of 800 souls at one time now has brush and trash crowding the streets. There are no businesses or offices in downtown. More than half the homes have been abandoned. There are about a dozen mobile homes just stuck in a convenient spot where the town park used to be. The city hall has long since been torn down. The population may be as high as 50. They’re either older residents or they commute to the city for work.

The disappearance of the so-called family farm in the mid-west is something not understood to outsiders. Whether it be the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas or Missouri the land is becoming desolate and devoid of human habitation. All is now owned by large corporations, some in the U.S., others in India or Japan. What populations remain in the few towns and cities work for the corproations and have perhaps a local market and gas station to meet their needs.

Haircuts or mercantile stores, a place to buy a new tire or toys for children, may be a drive of two hours or more away. The large, great old German Cathedrals out on the plains, or the churches of the Protestant Scandinavians are largely abandoned. Many of the cathedrals are large and imposing structures on the outside, comparable to many that might be found in smaller towns and cities in Europe. They tend towards being a bit plain inside, although are not without colored glass windows in many cases. Well over half of them in two states are abandoned. When the roofs wear out, or the windows are broken, the water comes in and the process has turned a few into large places for storage of hay and other farm commodities.

It’s always strange, at least for me, to see the large crucifix over the altar looking down on ten truckloads of hay bales.

]]> By: Tom_In_Dublin http://dervala.net/2003/12/28/secrets-and-lies/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Tom_In_Dublin Tue, 30 Dec 2003 04:37:18 +0000 http://dervala.net/?p=508#comment-316 Interesting to see that, as a returned migrant like myself(if only temporary) you share the same ambivalance to the country. It's still an exceptionally annoying place, if getting better in some ways. I find myself nodding vigorously every time I read your stuff. Keep up the good work. Interesting to see that, as a returned migrant like myself(if only temporary) you share the same ambivalance to the country. It’s still an exceptionally annoying place, if getting better in some ways.
I find myself nodding vigorously every time I read your stuff. Keep up the good work.

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