The Single [Small town] Life

DAY ONE

Here I am, alone. Though the tiny, two bedroom apartment has obviously just been cleaned, it remains dark, dingy, used. Similar the the entire town it inhabits. Clinton, Missouri embodies small town USA. Are there no sidewalks because there is no one out walking or is no one out walking because there are no sidewalks? And I know the apparent desertion isn't for lack of population because the McDonald's and Wendy's drive thru lines have been ridiculously long each time I have patroned those restaurants. This statement should bring to mind two questions: why has the author eaten from at least 2 fastfood establishments in one 24 hour period? and why is the author labeling these establishments as restaurants? Let me stop you right there and bring you back to the 4th sentence in this paragraph: Clinton, Missouri embodies small town USA. Thus the eating options are limited to fastfood, Applebee's, Country Kitchen, or tiny, questionable diners. There are no middle of the road options with fresh vegetables or soups, like Chipotle, Panera, Spin, The Mixx, d'Bronx; the staples to most big city dweller's diet, not counting home-prepared foods. Ok, scratch the "no" part, there is Subway.

Why am I here? I am stationed in this town for one of my Family Medicine rotations. The demographic in the clinic exactly matches the options set up by the previous paragraph. What kind of health problems do you imagine plague a town riddled with fastfood and devoid of sidewalks? Even the old-timey diners are a dead give away to the forward thought that has taken place around here: none. I am quite sure I saw a bumber sticker that said something to the effect of, "At least I can still smoke in my car".