Well...............

Columbus, Ohio, about 45 miles away is the state capitol and the biggest college town in the United States. Known as Cowtown and Whitebread City its cultural roots were mixed early on and although it is ethnically diverse, its not nearly as much so as its sisters, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Columbus grew on government and "clean" industry and at the center of a large flatland farming region......hence the Cowtown and Whitebread City monikers. And it is the biggest college town you'll find, surrounding the largest main campus that houses the most students of any university in the states, that being Ohio State. In the 60's and 70's there was a small but decent folk scene here, but now it is mainly gone. A few smallish societies and dulcimer clubs being about all that's left of the traddie type thing. There are a couple of excellent Irish venues as well as a huge Filk festival, but that not being my interest, well............Most others are now singer/songwriter/navel contemplator/folkrock places. Last year a pickup group of old farts began to play on the streets and a few smaller bars and the like and next summer I plan on taking up an invite from one of them, an old friend, to join in now and again.

NOW.....Where we live in Bremen..........Bremen is a tiny village about 4 blocks long by 3 blocks wide, in the foothills about 45 miles southeast of Columbus. We have 12 tree lined streets (still mainly brick), a few stop signs, no traffic lights, and we roll up the sidewalks each evening at 9 PM. The "Hot Stove Boys" gather at a Shoot and Scoot gas station (The Bremen Quik Stop) and convenience store every morning and solve the worlds problems. People walk and ride bikes and sit on the front porches on summer evenings. I'm kind of viewed as a bit weird obviously, but the old conservative town enjoys the difference even so. I walk into the post office and Harold, the postmaster asks, "Hey Pat, what was in the package from Australia?" In the bank everyone knows all the details of my our life and the girls always ask about the kids by name. WE have a piddlin' little Oktoberfest where they know I can be called on to entertain with a few tunes while the judges vote on "Little Miss Bremen." Holiday decorations are big deals here and at Halloween, we get 350 or more kids trick or treating.

I grew up in a suburb of Columbus from age 10, but was born in a little town in east Ohio much like this one. In many ways Bremen is a throwback to the 40's and 50's and a very safe and comfortable place to live. Karen grew up in Atlanta and I have lived in Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Chattanooga, Charlotte, and Cincinnati. When we decided to move here, we took all the pain in the ass stuff in stride.....lousy phone service, 50 miles from anywhere, etc. because its worth it in many ways. I have no idea where my house keys are for instance, haven't used one in ten years. When a new couple from the "big city" was looking at a home across the street, they asked a neighbor about what security system they used and what others had. Old Joe explained that its the Bremen system where we all watch out some for each other. It won't last I know, but for now, the Bremen System is still working.

Spaw