• I remembered that one time when my car was at the local gas station getting an oil change, the mechanic discovered that my rear tires were dangerously worn and needed to be replaced. I hadnt yet had a chance to get to my house to retrieve that news from my telephone answering machine, but I didnt need to. The mechanic had already called Ann Matera, Horse Cave City Clerk, to see where I was, and she tracked me down and broke the news to me before I was even close to getting home.


• A member of our study group recalled that one of her familys cows had gotten loose and wandered a couple of miles away. The family didnt need to fear, though. The people who spotted the cow not only recognized her and knew who owned her, they also knew the cow by name and could be comforting to her. Thus, telephoning the cows owners was an easy matter and a simple courtesy.


• I remembered moving to Hart County from an urban setting, discovering that I could simplify my life by relying on one maxim - if I really needed something and couldnt find it at one of the local dollar stores, I could do without for a while. I discovered that life is more sensible, affordable and streamlined when you dont depend on shopping malls, designer labels and heavily-advertised brands.


• Folks in the group noted that they were able to trust several of the local repair people, who were also their friends and neighbors. On days when something needed to be fixed at home, they didnt worry if they had to be away for a bit; they could just leave the back door unlocked and a note explaining things on the kitchen counter. They could then arrive back home and discover that the repair was done and the bill was on the same counter.


• I also noted the restroom arrangement at the Horse Cave Library. Because some kids had been a bit playful and messy in the restroom in the past, the door key needed to be out of the reach of small children, yet available to adults. The solution? In order to get into the restroom, one only needed to go to the librarys biography shelves and remove Kitty Kelleys unauthorized biography of Frank Sinatra. The restroom key resided there behind the book, high enough to be above the reach of kids, but accessible to anyone who knew this open secret.

Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in.