Happy in Dugspur, with or without the little chilluns

When local leaders bemoan the fact that all our young people are moving away, I say this: "Have you ever considered that maybe they WANTED to move away ? Ever think that they WANT to live someplace where there are much higher wages and more places to spend them?"

Really, what's the problem with our young people moving away? Not because we miss them. To cause this much uproar it has to be an economic issue. If our young people aren't here they won't be providing the necessary tax base to furnish services when WE get old. Plus, when they have children they will be far more accepting of school-related tax increases than us older citizens.

Yet the mantra continues: " We're not doing enough to keep our kids here!" I envision the formation of a local think tank. One with the expressed purpose of figuring out new ways to keep the kids down on the farm. Has anyone considered financial incentives? It works for local industry, it'd work for me.!

After high school graduation it seemed half of our class settled either in Roanoke or in Atlanta. Many are still there so they must have made some sort of life. One or two my classmates even have overseas addresses.

Me, I'm just down the road from where I grew up.

For years people strangely assumed I was in California when I've never gone farther west than Toledo. I am one of those rare souls who has remained in his home county virtually all his life.

There's a lot to keep me here. I would like to delve into a little midlife wanderlust but I can always see myself returning to Dugspur. I have been told I could move away from here and make a lot more money. I'm a good capitalist but some things are worth more to me. If moving away to get the big bucks is another person's imperative, then so be it.

Will my kids stay here? I have one that will probably be sending me postcards from Africa while the other will be parking a trailer on the lower 5. Just as long as they're happy.

I would love to see someone stand up at a supervisor's meeting and say, "My kid moved away and is now pulling down 80K a year in a job that isn't textile or furniture-based and is also enjoying a satisfying cultural awakening in a progressive city community!" Then they'd lynch the heretic at their next meeting.

I see things starting to even out. Local people move away and other people settle here in their place. Must be quite a few relocating here. Every week when I look at the obituaries there are names I have never associated with this area. There's obviously something here that attracts them. Maybe it's because there are fewer young whippersnappers to deal with.