Living Outside The Lines: “Just A Small Town Girl”

Many small towns enjoy a unique community bond, the kind where everyone knows your name, your life story, and would willingly jump in harm’s way to protect the members.

by, Becky J Miller, exclusive to Corridor News

The phrase “Small Town USA” evokes a Norman Rockwellesque sense of the quaint, idyllic, sentimental portrayal of American life. Many small towns enjoy a unique community bond, the kind where everyone knows your name, your life story, and would willingly put jump in harm’s way to protect the members. Sounds charming, but downsizing to one from an area with a larger population can be something of a culture shock.

Research for this column provided an introduction to a study in settlement hierarchy that included words I’d never seen before such as ecumenopolis, megalopolis, and conurbation. I’m still struggling to grasp ecumenopolis, but ultimately it is a monster of human settlements that swallows all urban areas. The other two are relatively simple; a conurbation is a group of large cities and their suburbs consisting of three to ten million people. A megalopolis is a group of conurbations consisting of more than ten million people in each.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlement_hierarchy

Ironically, the settlement hierarchy did not include any demographic for a “small town”. The steps descend from Metropolis (one to three million people) to Large City, City, Large town, Town, Village and end with Hamlet (less than 100 people). And here I thought Hamlet was just a Shakespearean play. I used the gospel of Google to try and find Hamlets in the United States, but the results were sketchy as all the locations listed included populations of more than 100. So maybe, I wasn’t so wrong after all.

According to the 2015 population estimate by the United States Census Bureau, with 60,684 permanent residents, San Marcos fits comfortably into the Large Town hierarchy. A population that size demands a service base to fill their needs, meaning a variety of restaurants, retail centers, and entertainment venues among other business types. This extensive business base offers consumers freedom of choice: Target or Wal-Mart, JC Penney’s or Beall’s, Starbucks or locally owned Mochas & Javas, Academy or one of the many shoe stores at the Outlet Malls. Although Austin and San Antonio are a quick trip north or south in I35, most items can be found without ever having to venture that far from home.

While the diversity of food establishments pales in comparison to those in the Dallas metropolis, there are still plenty of choices in San Marcos. In the sandwich category alone there’s Newk’s, Panera, Jason’s Deli, Which Wich, Erbert & Gerbert’s, Jimmy John’s, Alvin Ord’s, Potbelly Subs, Thundercloud Subs, Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Firehouse Subs and Schlotzsky’s. That’s a lot of ham and cheese!!!

Over the past few years San Marcos has experienced voluminous growth, and while the business expansion brought the benefit of extended choices, it also brought the concerns of increased traffic, lack of downtown parking and insufficient family housing. No community is perfect, but San Marcos was home, and therefore comfortable, even in discomfort.

I now live in Beeville, which according to estimates by the United States Census Bureau in 2015 had a population of 13,277 making it simply a “town”. Despising both traffic and large crowds, I used to consider myself something of a small town girl simply because I thought it the opposite of big city girl. Much to my chagrin, I have discovered I am neither. This revelation really should not surprise me because the only “normal” for me is that I never quite fit.

Acclamation to life in a new town, which despite what Wikipedia has to say, is a small town, has been difficult at best, and downright frustrating almost every. single. day. I despise Wal-Mart, and neither it nor HEB carry all the products we use. For example, forget buying a gallon of the HEB brand organic skim milk. Unless you want to spring for the more expensive Horizon brand, they only carry a limited number of gallons and half gallons. Garnier Fructis Flexible Control hair spray, yeah, none to be found here. Oh wait, we did find those at CVS for twice the normal cost. And the Clif Shot Bloks I use for energy on long runs, nope.

Beeville has eating establishments, but other than Chili’s the only recognizable names are all fast food; McDonald’s, Whataburger, Dairy Queen, Church’s Chicken, KFC, Golden Chick, Sonic, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Little Caesar’s. Herein lies the problem; I don’t like fast food. If I eat fast food (except for pizza), it’s merely for survival.

Forget clothes shopping. Since Beall’s is the only clothing store in town, unless you count Rue 21, which I dislike, chances of showing up at church or work in the same outfit as someone else are highly likely. Naked isn’t really a viable option so on-line shopping it is; meaning you are up a creek should a last minute shopping need arise. With Corpus Christi 52 miles away, running to the mall after work is no easy feat.

Don’t get me started at the $10 minimum purchase required for a credit/debit card purchase at the movie theater!! I understand small businesses of the mom & pop type having a $5 minimum credit card purchase amount, but a six-plex theater? Seriously? That is tantamount to extortion! Attending a matinee with friends means I’m forced to either buy candy or always carry cash. In the 21st century, allowing credit card payments should equal a cost of doing business. At the very least, hide the fee in the ticket price!

There are so many other hindrances we’ve endured during our two months here that were I to continue, I fear readers would grow weary, so I shall end my small town diatribe. Lest anyone think me a spoiled ogre, I will close with this; there’s not much traffic in Beeville, and there are some fantastic people that make having my world upended just a little bit easier.

So, the next time you visit Starbucks, the closest one to Beeville is fifty miles away, think of me. Meanwhile, this not so small town girl will check out the midnight train schedules going anywhere. 

Becky J Miller writes a bi-weekly column and is exclusive to SM Corridor News. You can read more of Becky’s columns in Lifestyle.