A Place Where People Are Genuinely Nice To Each Other

When driving on Highway 10 a half hour south of Baxter/Brainerd, Minnesota a driver needs to make a decision. One mile on the north side of Little Falls highway 10 splits west toward Fargo which is two hours away. If said driver hooks up with Highway 371 they'll be on their way to no man's land. It takes an hour from this spot to arrive at our home. Baxter/Brainerd is forty minutes from our place.

It's a bitter sweet moment driving through this area. Lakes abound on either side of the highway. Brainerd is noted for it's raceway. Paul Newman of Hollywood fame had a home on Gull Lake across from the racing area. Gull Lake is extremely toney. In other words, it's too expensive for me.

The famed actor and Scientologist, Tom Cruise, along with Jessica Lange also have lake front property. Don't think I'm jealous and would want to have them as neighbors. I wouldn't. I'm only making the point that a man born and bred in Boone, Iowa wouldn't have the coin to live in the same area.

When driving out of Brainerd car radio stations on the AM disappear. The FM channels are primarily Country Western. I guess that's okay but only if I don't want to fall asleep. Yesterday, I listened to a song called "Hillbilly Heaven". The artist was looking into the future hoping when he died he could be in the same place as Johnny Cash, Minnie Pearl and a slew of other folks who have gone onto their great reward. I laughed because it'd been years since I'd listened to this tune.

Civilization ceases to exist in the Northwoods. For instance, last Saturday the Queen and I went to 4 pm Mass at Sacred Heart Church in our town of Hackensack(pop. 212 depending on who did or didn't die the previous week). I wore an Iowa Hawkeye shirt, blue jeans and loafers sans socks. Trust me when I write I was one of the better dressed folks in church.

Here's what you need to remember about this area. People are kind. We go out of our way to help each other. We loan items and give away what is useless. If one needs a ride into town just ask. We're hearty folks. Yesterday, at 7 am we experienced the storm of the century. Boats and pontoons were blown off their moorings yet residents of the lake were all out to help each other.

Everyone lost their power for nine hours. It wasn't that big a deal. Two years ago our power was out for three days and we had two families with 8 grandchildren. The only complaint came from one of my granddaughters. She didn't like using the outhouse; thought she was going to fall in the hole.

I'm familiar with the slow pace of Ten Mile Lake where people take their time and give to each other
as much as they get. Why shouldn't I be? After all I grew up in Boone, Iowa.