Rosser's Ramblings: Small Town Values

By Trent Rosser

Whatever happened to small town values? I grew up here in Amarillo and in a small town called Rogers, Texas. At the time, residents of both places once had small town values. One of the things that made Amarillo great was the people. Neighbors helped neighbors through thick and thin.

My how things have changed.

In 2010, the population of Amarillo was 190,695. Rogers' population at the time was 1,218. Amarillo was considered a small city but it was huge when compared to Rogers. Rogers also only has one stop light, and at 10pm, it would start blinking. That was how we knew when to go back home. At noon, the tornado sirens would go off. Just to let us know that it was working properly, and it is the beginning of the afternoon. So, if you compare the two towns, it would be like trying to compare night and day. There were way too many differences. One thing that was the same though was the people.

Growing up in Amarillo and spending my summers in Rogers, I learned that everyone was just about the same, kind and courteous. Even thouh there was much more to do in Amarillo. More schools, more parks and more entertainment. The people were the same though. It did not matter if you were in Amarillo or Rogers, people looked out for each other. It did not matter what kind of trouble you were in; a friend or neighbor would always be there to help. On Friday nights, the entire town of Rogers would shut down for the high school football game. Whcih was, and still is, a big thing here also. Both places were great to live in and the people were good also, but it seems that as Amarillo has grown bigger, the good ole fashioned values have decreased.

Lately, just getting on the highway has become a major issue. With all the construction going on, I am surprised that more people are not in jail due to road rage. I have come close a couple of times. I see people cussing and screaming in their cars every day. And before you say anything...no, it was not towards me! We used to pass someone and they would live us a little wave and it was all good. I'm not talking about the middle finger wave either. I guess that with the younger generations growing up, no one taught them respect and what the little wave with your fingers meant. This is something that they do not teach in Driver's Ed so for you young whippersnappers...pay attention. With your hand on the steering wheel, your fingers go up as you pass someone on the road. This is their meaning:

• 1 finger wave = Hi.

• 2 finger wave = Hi. How are you doing?

• 3 finger wave = Hi. How you doing? Family doing ok?

• 4 finger wave = Hi. How you doing? Family doing ok? How's your mama? Tell her I said 'hello!'

• Full hand wave = Hi. How you doing? We need help with the cattle on the back forty, bring your horse so we can get it done before suppertime.

Now, of course you had to wave back with the finger gestures also. When you wave back, they mean something as well.

• 1 finger wave = Hey.

• 2 finger wave = Hey. Doing pretty good. You?

• 3 finger wave = Hey, Doing pretty good. Family doing alright also.

• 4 finger wave = Hey, Doing good. Family doing alright also. I will let Mama know you said 'hi' and tell your Mama I said 'hello' also.

• Full hand wave = Hey, Doing good. Family doing alright also. When you gonna fix that damn fence anyway? Seems like every week we are pushing your cows back across the prairie. Tell your Grammy I want some of her famous biscuits and gravy for supper when I help y'all.

Small town values are what we are now missing from your lives. We all had it years ago, but somehow it, along with chivalry, has faded into the back of our minds and possibly into the past forever. Just like King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, chivalry, manners and kindness will all be a fairy tale.

As many of you know, I have been wanting to put a swing on our front porch for quite sometime. I have spoke about living in Rogers and sitting on the swing with my grandmother just watching the cars pass and waiving at traffic. We did not get a swing, but we did buy a couple of chairs and a small outdoor table. I have been on my front porch for the last few days until past sundown. I have waved at all the traffic passing by. Not everyone waves back, in fact, just the neighbors to my west and to my east wave back at me. Everyone else stares at me because I waved at them as I drove past. I have also had a couple give me the "middle finger wave" after they saw me wave. I have come to the conclusion that what Amarillo needs...NO, what the WORLD needs, is a large front porch with a swing or chairs and no T.V. Just for each of us to sit and watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee and planning out the day or the sunset and reflecting on the day with good thoughts running through our heads.

We lost our small town values. We need to get them back. We have issues at City Hall, we have issues with our new ballpark. I, personally, have issues with other drivers. Technology has taken over our lives. We no longer sit and talk with our neighbors, we now just use cell phones but we hardly talk on them. Text messages have taken over phone calls. Email has taken over conference meetings. A country singer names Tracy Lawrence sang a song about if the world had a front porch. "If the world had a front porch like we did back then we'd still have our problems but we'd all be friends. Treating your neighbor like he's your next of kin wouldn't be gone with the wind."

I agree, this is what me need. We all need to sit back and relax and get our small town values back. Open a door for a stranger. Say 'thank you'  when someone opens the door for you. Let's all get the small town values back in Amarillo. Let's all talk to our neighbors and say 'hello.' Let's all sit on the front porch and relax with a loved one. Maybe, just maybe we can talk out problems out instead of fighting over them.

Like I said before, I have been on the front porch of the house the last few nights, relaxing and reflecting on the day. I have watched the people drive by and I waved at every one of them. Words alone could not express how relaxing it was. I felt a peace that I rarely feel. I know where I will be spending the next five months, on the porch waving at people. If you drive by and don't wave back, I will give you the middle finger wave. Just forewarning you.

Yep, it's official, I have become the old man that sits on the porch, waves at traffic and yells at kids to "Get off my yard!"