Somewhere in time

To the Editor,

     I often wonder where my life would have gone if I had not been a child in Monticello, Iowa.

     For all of you that live there and for you that want something bigger and more fast-paced, I can tell you this is something that falls in the category of “be careful what you wish for.” I have lived in Minneapolis-St. Paul; Orlando, Fla.; and now San Antonio, Texas, and it is not all it is cracked up to be. There is crime and all that comes with a big city. Granted, you are closer to more fun things to do, but only if it is a priority in your life. If you are happy to be at home, work in your yard, take walks, etc., then not so much.

     I would give anything to be back where my roots are, mainly Monticello. I was a young child when we moved from Monticello to Little Falls, Minn., when my dad sold the Monticello Express to work for the Little Falls Transcript, the local paper there. Yet my memories of Monticello are as vivid as if it was yesterday.

     I remember where everything is located, grandparents’ home on Gill, and their neighbors at the time, the Lochers on one side and Hoags on the other. I remember my grandmother’s sister, Minnie Hanson, and I remember cutting up apples and sitting on the back steps and eating them; I remember walks around the neighborhood and all the wonderful memories that have lasted a lifetime.

     I remember McNeill Hardware, the clock tower, and when the Express was located above the bank (F&M Bank).

     So for those of you who may want something better or a bigger city, I say to you go ahead and explore it; you will always appreciate your roots as I do and you will always want to come back.

     Maybe some day I can come back, too, for more than a few hours… I would be happy with a week just to walk downtown and explore all the old haunts.

     Thank you, Monticello, for making me what I am today.

John Charles Doxsee

San Antonio, Texas