Russell, New York

Frozen ice on windowsills, a few random cars in passing, and sounds of cracking ice filling the air as I stand there in this desolate area I call home. If you listen closely you can hear a few random dogs barking from across the way here in Russell, NY. An abundance of people, roughly two thousand, occupy this metropolis as the landscape stretches out for many miles providing for quite a distance between houses outside of the so called “town area”.

Unfortunately this puny town isn’t capable of having the full three seasons as it seems predominantly possessed by the frigid cold since we are allotted a mere month or two of actual summer.
There is something to be said about small towns where you cannot escape knowing everyone while being known by everyone. The community is quite close which, at times, can cause some turmoil between houses. It is all to be expected since no matter where you go such discrepancies can occur. The advantage is that we escape many gang and drug related problems that deem the larger city unsafe.

Our town lacks even a police unit as the adjacent town sends through their patrol car once every Sunday for a quick check up. However, our town does contain a small volunteer fire department that undertakes about a dozen people whom don’t even think twice about helping the fellow townspeople in times of dire need. It’s amazing really.

We pride ourselves on the smaller things in life such as the local high school sports team and even the marching band. A few years back our soccer team made it to the state finals in Poughkeepsie, NY and I believe I saw most every parent attend the event. This was great since it was such an inconvenience to get time off of the workplace and travel such a distance.

In contrast, it is about twenty minutes from the nearest supermarket and even a theatre for a Friday night entertainment. Once a year our town is home to a parade that allows for us to put our new fire truck on display and the local marching band to do their act.

I leave after every summer to go back to the University and yet upon the next summer’s arrival I am all too anxious to get back home. Small in size it may be, but it is large at heart. I would not have wanted to spend my youth elsewhere.

Matthew Y

Submitted: Wednesday 11th February 2004, 9:47 PM

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