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The Squirrel And The Farmer by Matt Kornatz - [1 words]
The Rain by Julia Sky A story about a poverished young girl who chases her ultimate dream. [1,569 words]
Red Line-911 by David Aldridge - [1 words]
25th Mile by Firsttime Story Earthquake devastates California, Leaving Thousands dead, hungry, homeless and without hope. With the... [23,199 words]
Who Is The Hero? by Gregory J Christiano Schoolyard bullies have always intimidated their classmates. But what if a boy refuses to fig... [1,534 words]
White Thoughts by Natasha White Thoughts is a first person narrative detailing the life of a senior college student, unsur... [15,197 words]
Vicki's Comeback by Steven L Howard From the cutting edge of the knife to the cutting edge of success - her comeback was real this... [2,863 words]
The Threats Against Edward Solomon High by Bradley Grimes An unusual day at a high school. [4,313 words]
The Conversation by Seth Allen Judge not, lest you be judged... [2,089 words]
Simply Black Or White by Gerald L Bosacker A short piece. [1,211 words]
Shooting In Iraq by E Rocco Caldwell - [466 words]
Pastoral by Oscar Felix Norton Read the story. [6,194 words]
Off The Top Shelf by Buxton About a dream I had that let me see what kind of future we all face... [967 words]
My Last Night With Her by Rae A quick story. [448 words]
Lost In A Forest Of Cornstalks by Steph G A story about three young siblings who have an adventure in a nearby cornfield. [1,427 words]
Lenny's Last Jump! by Gregory J Christiano Two gangsters out for a night�s work, but they�re in for a surprise! [880 words]
I Met Him For The Last Time by Avis Narrative monologue. I think the title speaks for itself. [1,096 words]
General Inspection (Novel To Be) by Josh Anderson The beginnings of a murder mystery / psychological thriller / horror short sto... [1,670 words]
From The Outside Looking In by Kris Lemmonds Sometimes we search for things that are right in front of us. If we just stopped l... [1,495 words]
For What I'd Give by Josh Anderson This is the 6th and possibly final part to Serra's swamp, Axey finally begins to realize the ... [1,078 words]
Family Dinner. by Bradley Grimes A family's final meal together. [2,023 words]
Eurasia Underground V5 - A Future So Close (Narrative Proposition) by Josh Anderson Pilot chapter for a series of stories, game ... [676 words]
Dave by Abby M Lesczynski Character Sketch about my father. [1,432 words]
Careful What You Ask For... by Kris Lemmonds What do you do when the one thing you thought would make you happy doesn't? [1,716 words]
Card Sharps by Gregory J Christiano The poker game grew heated. The cheated card player lay dead on the floor! [1,309 words]
Butterflies by Kris Lemmonds A story of a first date. Complete with nerves and othe craziness. [3,069 words]
At Death's Door by Nur Syafiqah A Jaaffar - [441 words]
Anger, Depression, Bargaining, Denial, Acceptance. by Bradley Grimes The thoughts of Joseph Richard Patterson on November 13th, 2... [753 words]
A Warped Mind by Surge Some insight into a tortured mind. [325 words]
A Single Place Setting by Kris Lemmonds Sometimes someone comes along in our lives to impact us like no other can - for better o... [2,530 words]
A Shooting In Iraq---Part Two by E Rocco Caldwell The special opts his ranger squad conducted was illegal and may have resulted in ... [400 words]
The Piece Of His Heart Left Behind by Steven L Howard Through many years he had learned to hate this man. Now came a simple plea -... [2,237 words]
Ze Zen Ta (The Way Of The Thinking Fist) by E Rocco Caldwell First part of a potential novel. [692 words]
Waking Up To Light by Jessica M Brown A na�ve and apathetic young man is in a coma. He believes he is dreaming. When he thinks h... [650 words]
Us And The Monkeys by Afreena Rahman A walk through a busy street in madras provides some critical insight on life... [1,456 words]
Too Hard A Promise by Steven L Howard He had never lied to his beloved, But can he promise what she asked? [1,658 words]
The July Tree by Brotherman A tale about stolen innocence. Based on an initiation I saw when I was 13. [2,126 words]
The Abduction Of Sammy Lee by Mark A Stuart Tale of a kidnapping in a small SouthWest Georgia town. [6,320 words]
Star Lights by Patricia Waldrop A short story about a small southern town who learned the lesson of drunk driving. [1,747 words]
Slow Down by Jack M Brown Peter's world speeds up inexplicably while his doctor tries to figure out what's wrong, watching him ... [1,472 words]
She Dances Down By The River by Susan Brassfield Cogan Danger in the firelight. [453 words]
Shattered Reflection by Josh Anderson The second part of Serra's Swamp, she had run away again. [1,051 words]
Serra's Swamp by Josh Anderson AxeY's foridden love. The first in a series I hope to release slowly, I would really appreciate a... [1,131 words]
Red Flannels by Higgins The moons were shining. [383 words]
Poltergeist Inc. Part Two by E Rocco Caldwell Hilliard Aerospace has a secret.... [390 words]
Poltergeist Inc. Part One by E Rocco Caldwell One corporation has figured out how to defeat it's competitors...cut all energy cost ... [683 words]
Next Time Father... by Josh Anderson The fourth part to the series of Serra's Swamp. Please check it out! [915 words]
Lost Christmas by Abbie Angel - [379 words]
Look Of Death by Josh Anderson The 5th part to serra's swamp. PLEASE read, it would be so much appreciated! :), thanks everyone. [789 words]
His Desire And Her Love by Josh Anderson Part three of Serra's Swamp, please review as im not so sure about this one. This one i... [542 words]
Halls Of Residence by Jack M Brown Blood, sweat, tears. The best of university education. But will the run-down Halls of Reside... [1,968 words]
Grandpappy's Red Flannels by Higgins The moon was out. [383 words]
Grake And Blues by Jack M Brown Nama 'Magician' Ustinov is convicted of genocide and sent to Hell. To get out early, he sets hi... [3,960 words]
Flight School by Mark A Stuart Story about a young boy's refusal to accept conventional wisdom. [1,733 words]
Fever by Angelique Armstrong A story about a young man who is contagious. [2,138 words]
Dying by Mark A Stuart Story of the coming death of a small town in SouthWest Geargia. [1,227 words]
Dying For A Memory by Abbie Angel When there is nothing left, what can you do? [228 words]
Driving Miss Rachel by Mark A Stuart Some advice on dealing with new drivers in your household. [719 words]
Dragon's Law by Richard Dragon If you like hard-boiled detective in the classic sense, this is for you. I'm a gumshoe by trade an... [1,826 words]
Diwali Surprise by Inchara Its about how a middle class family who could not afford much had a surprise diwali celebration... [1,165 words]
Dirty City by Abbie Angel Abbie Angel is running, hiding in a concrete and glass jungle. [696 words]
Comparisons
Charity by Mark A Stuart Lessons of about human kindness and the shortage thereof. [3,818 words]
Blood In The Snow by Josh Anderson An experiment... I decided to take one of my poems and turn it into a short story, im not sur... [285 words]
Bad Habits by Mark A Stuart Sometimes old habits aren't useful in new places. [710 words]
Angel Of The Morning Calm by Steven L Howard On his first overseas assignment he ignored the advice of seniors and almost lost it ... [13,863 words]
And The Light Returns !!! �� by Partha Pratim Majumder God finds out the earth with values eroded. To him, erosion of values means absolu... [1,392 words]
An Unexpected Visitor by Chad Alan Madson Boy who gets an unexpected visit while daydreaming. [1,228 words]
A Gunslinger's Death Is Always Best by Kevin Myrick The Sixth in the Sierra Madre Stories, finally typed up for your enjoyment.... [3,668 words]
The Dance Of A Lifetime by Courteney L Davison An english 8 assignment on a perfect moment. [160 words]
Seymours Christmas Wish by Amber A Whitman A light-hearted Christmas story of a lonely mouse. [523 words]
Mfoam by Diablo Hate Killer loose in twisted world. [617 words]
Dad's Christmas Tree by Ruby Alexandra Beloz The year was 1967 when Dad came home with a different type of Christmas Tree? [1,263 words]

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TITLE (EDIT)
Comparisons
DESCRIPTION
Being thankful for the things that you don't have.
[1,020 words]
AUTHOR
Mark A Stuart
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
43 year old former Naval officer and professional manager that grew up in Southwest Georgia and believes that others may find interest in the lifestyle and events of small towns. I am a father of two beautiful girls that has been married to a wonderful woman for 18 years who has encouraged me to follow my desires and write.
[November 2004]
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL ADDRESS
[email protected]
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (10)
Bad Habits (Short Stories) Sometimes old habits aren't useful in new places. [710 words]
Charity (Short Stories) Lessons of about human kindness and the shortage thereof. [3,818 words]
Driving Miss Rachel (Short Stories) Some advice on dealing with new drivers in your household. [719 words]
Dying (Short Stories) Story of the coming death of a small town in SouthWest Geargia. [1,227 words] [Writing Resource]
First Love (Novels) Story of a young boy's first foray into the world of the opposite sex. [4,987 words]
Flight School (Short Stories) Story about a young boy's refusal to accept conventional wisdom. [1,733 words]
Gone Already (Short Stories) COnfusion can arise out of good intentions. [2,452 words]
Grass Fields (Short Stories) Learning lessons the hard way. [3,276 words]
Snakes (Short Stories) Teenage foolishness involving reptiles, drunks, and firearms. [3,107 words]
The Abduction Of Sammy Lee (Short Stories) Tale of a kidnapping in a small SouthWest Georgia town. [6,320 words]
Comparisons
Mark A Stuart

 Comparisons



One of the things about growing up in a small town is that if you should ever move, you will find yourself forever comparing your current place of residence with your old town.
You know we never had a Chinese restaurant. We didn�t even have a McDonalds. We never had a movie theater. We had no large shopping centers. No Old Navy, No Bass Pro shop. No Walmart. No humongous grocery store featuring food from 37 different nations. No Barnes and Noble. Shoot � we didn�t even have a functioning traffic light until I was in high school.

I still remember the first time that I was taking my future wife to visit my parents. She inquired as to what stores were located in the mall in Arlington. I had to break the news to her that my town featured a couple of Seven Elevens and about 3 gas stations that usually had a good sale on Red Wigglers going, but alas, no mall. I don�t think she believed me. I was beyond her ken to imagine that there were places as small as Arlington.

�How do you live? What do people eat? What do they wear? What do they do?� She was full of questions.

�You�ll see.� It was all I knew to say.

Of course she did see and for the next decade or so after our initial visit and ensuing visits, I was subjected to an often updated list of what did not exist in my town. This was not news to me having lived there for a good portion of my life, but like any sensible husband that preferred the bed to the couch, I listened to and noted with apparent interest, the serious shortcomings of my native turf.
This might still be going on today, aside from the fact that after 18 years of marriage, I finally became comfortable enough with my status as life partner to bring it to a crashing halt during the last inventory of missing essentials.

�You know, everything that you have said is true beyond any shadow of a doubt. There is absolutely and positively no denying the immense dearth of infrastructure, commerce and civic opportunities facing the good citizens of my hometown. I have been so moved by your cataloging of missing items that I have been inspired to make a list of my own.� This quickly got my wife�s attention as this was never the way the conversation had progressed previously. I think she believed that she had finally encompassed all of our need in one tidy package and the thought of revisions to the list was not particularly appealing after all these years.

�Well let�s hear your list�, she said tentatively.

�It�s pretty long. Are you sure?�

�Of course I�m sure. What could I have left off that you managed to come up with?� One thing about my dear wife � she is very sure of herself, (and I hasten to add, lest the couch claim me as a permanent resident; usually with good reason).

�OK then. My town has no traffic jams. It doesn�t have any crazed road raged induced idiots as are commonly spotted on I-285 applying make-up or tweezing their eyebrows while driving 87 miles an hour. The last time I checked, we had no soccer moms running you off the shoulder while talking on the cell phone to their therapist. We have no smog; in fact the air may be too clean for today�s Homo sapiens. We don�t normally have crack thugs stealing from old ladies at the mall. We never have a shortage of food at the covered dish dinners. We never have dinner parties where Cosmo food is served. We don�t have encounter groups that meet each Tuesday to discuss the migrating habits of African swallows. We don�t have parents lined up outside the teacher�s classroom wondering why Johnny can�t be allowed to express himself freely by mooning the teacher. We don�t have a daily column in the newspaper devoted to that particular day�s drug busts. We don�t have people protesting the pledge of allegiance at the school board monthly and we don�t have a Church of Enlightenment and Kung Fu. We have no weight loss spas and we have no people that would not give you the shirt off their backs if you needed it. We don�t have regular political scandals to keep things entertaining and we don�t have an Olympic Water Ballet team.�

�All right. Enough already.�

�But I�m not even half way through the list. And I haven�t even started on what we do have.� I really wanted to relate this list to her. Even though I live in a relatively larger town now, we have never had a cane-Squeezin� or a hog killing festival, let alone a Mayday parade.

�I give. You win.�

I accepted her capitulation with all the dignity and grace that comes with being married for a length of time and a healthy fear of being exiled. It was difficult to do so as it may have been only the second time in my married life that I had been in victory lane, and I was not all that familiar with how to act when it happened, but I struggled through it. It made me mindful of how living in a small town does take on a feeling of being the perpetual underdog. How people think that because you grew up in a small town that you are somehow stupid or at the very best underprivileged and unaware of all the things that you are missing. That it must be impossible to live, let alone thrive. I believe sometimes that all the local churches, given the slightest encouragement, would send care packages and Christmas gifts to Arlington. Of course, that assumes they know it exists.

My thought on all of this is: the next time that you feel the least bit discouraged for having missed out on all the culture, excitement, and convenience that awaits you in the next greener and inescapably, larger pasture, remember all of those things that you don�t have.

 

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2004 Mark A Stuart
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
December 2004
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
2903
 

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