Oh! Hillsboro!
When one of my wife's co-workers, someone who had lived in central Kansas at one time, heard we were thinking about moving to Hillsboro, he frowned.
"Oh. Hillsboro," he said. "You guys don't want to move to Hillsboro. The people in Hillsboro are too close-knit and cliquey and you'll never fit in."
A few days later, we told someone else that we were thinking about moving to Hillsboro.
She smiled,
"Oh! Hillsboro!" she said. "What a great place! The people there are salt of the earth, hospitable, and hard-working. You'll fit right in."
We were reminded of the story about the man who was sitting on a sidewalk bench on Main Street, in his town.
A stranger drove up to the curb and rolled down his window. To the man on the bench he said, "I'm thinking about moving to this town, what are the people like here?"
The man on the bench said, "Well, what are the people like where you come from?"
Suddenly angry, the driver hissed, "Where I come from the people are two-faced and mean! The town is full of hypocrites who care about no one but themselves!"
The man on the bench nodded and said, "Well, that's how you'll find the people are around here, too."
Moments later, another stranger drove up the curb and rolled down his window. To the man on the bench, he said, "I'm thinking about moving to this town, what are the people like here?"
The man on the bench said, "Well, what are the people like where you come from?"
Suddenly happy, the driver gushed, "Where I come from the people are honest and sincere! The town is filled with wonderful people who'd go out of their way to make you feel at home."
The man on the bench nodded and said, "Well, that's how you'll find the people are around here, too."
Our college-age daughter was infatuated with a young man from New York City.
She invited him to come with us on a family car trip from Fort Scott to Wichita.
While passing through the Flint Hills, she turned to him said, "Isn't this the most beautiful place?"
He replied, "What are you talking about? There is nothing out here. Absolutely nothing."
That was the beginning of the end of their relationship. She's now dating a nice young man, from Nebraska.
Oh! We are happy to be in Hillsboro! We think this region of the country is beautiful. After enjoying a fun-filled family-oriented weekend with you, we look forward to making Hillsboro our new home!
— GRANT OVERSTAKE, Editor.
