small town

It amazes me of all the silly descriptions of a small town by ignorant people on here. No, I dont live in one, but I did for a while. They are not all the same. Yes, some are poor, but some are also very affluent (Lake Zurich, Illinois for example). A small town is the anithesis of a big city, which is not necessarily a bad thing. A small town is a community where people are a generally friendly, laid back folk, and where everybody knows almost everybody there. If you stop and ask for directions, the person giving you the directions will probably turn it into a conversation. The community is probably a speed trap, but the police who give you a speeding ticket are often known and called by their first name. You are usually not afraid to unlock your doors (although I wouldn't do it). Most businesses in town are family-owned ma-and-pa stores threatened by the Walmart nearby, which is probably the community's largest employer. The Mayor probably has another job on the side. You also know your'e in a small town because the people raise a stink over a new business coming in, fearing that it will create "traffic congestion." Some small towns can be suburbs or exurbs of a large meropolitan area.