As is usual in the Mathur household lately, I come home from work around 4:30, lay around and whine about how HUMID it is, get up after the AC has made me a happier human, start cooking dinner, and then we eat while watching Jeopardy from 7:30-8pm. At 8, Ankur goes back to studying and I usually do a few laps around the neighborhood while chatting with the family on the phone or just listening to the birds singing to me.

Last night, at 8, when heading out to do the usual walk, I ran into my landlords who just finished meeting with one of their future tenants.

I haven’t seen them much since we first moved here two years ago, but between then and now, so much has changed.

I remember – in June 2016 – when we first got the keys to our new apartment, I had the hardest time understanding our landlord’s thick Appalachian accent. Every time he spoke, I just nodded and smiled and hoped to God he didn’t ask me a question that required a real response.

During that first year, we didn’t communicate with them often unless it was through text message if something needed a repair.

Being Small Town Girl

Things have certainly shifted between then and now. They popped in a few weeks ago to show our apartment to a future tenant and Mrs. Landlord and I got to talking while Mr. Landlord gave them the quick tour.

We ended up chatting about the church they go to, the friends we have in common, and all the other things in our community that tie us together in some way.

When they left that day, Ankur looked at me and said, “Okay there, small town lady. What did you do with my wife?”

I was giddy at this idea of me being a “small town girl.” And, over the next couple of weeks, I started to see just how true it was.

Example #1: Knowing Everyone’s Romantic Histories

Friend at work: “Hey Divya, do you know _____?”

Me: “Yeah, didn’t he used to date _____?”

Friend: “Wow. Yeah. How’d you know that?”

Boom.

Example #2: Knowing how to Advise the Locals

I went to go get my fingerprints done at a local pharmacy and the lady working there was telling me about her daughter’s wedding that was happening that weekend. She was stressing out because the caterers cancelled and she didn’t know what she was going to do. I recommended a local Italian restaurant that I knew catered for large events. She said she hadn’t even thought of them and before I left she said, “Thank you so much; I’ll give them a call today!”

Boom.

Pretty soon, I realized my “small town” life even followed me OUT of my small town.

1) While in Knoxville last week to get myself a new phone, the Verizon employee and I got to taking and I found out he was a student of my former co-worker. Mind. Blown.

2) And while I was accompanying Katy at the car dealership in Knoxville a few weeks ago, the Honda employee told us he had attended LMU for a year and we found some folks in common.

So, here I am, name dropping and all, playing this small town girl in the small city world. And I realize that, even though we are moving to Knoxville, a bigger city, this small town girl will be accompanying me.

Because I can’t just drop this identity I’ve created. I LOVE THIS HUMAN I’VE BECOME.

The one that slows down and talks to random people. The one that doesn’t order her coffee through her Starbucks app in order to avoid making conversation.

Yesterday, while chatting with our landlords (AND FULLY understanding Mr. Landlord’s Southern twang), they asked me, “So where are ya’ll gonna end up after rotations? Will you move back to this area?” 

I said, “To be honest, I’m not too sure. Everything is up in the air right now!” 

To which he responded, “I just see you fittin’ in here is all. You’ve got that small town vibe about you.” 

One of my prouder moments, I’ve gotta say. 

It’s not that I’ve changed who I am in an effort to fit in and belong.

It’s that I’ve found the parts of small town life that actually contribute to my being a better person.

The community, the conversation, the slowwwwwwwing down and taking life one day at a time.

So, Mr. Landlord. I can’t promise I’ll be back. But I can promise I’ll keep these small town values with me.