In my last article, I wrote that there is a Magnification and Amplification of everything in New England, similar to the the common expressions, “It’s like living in a fish bowl” or “It’s like living under a microscope”.

I wrote that there are some residents with so little to do, that their hobby or occupation has become gathering information about other people, and then going about town retelling information about people, sometimes omitting or embellishing in order to entertain, or incite other people.

I wrote that I feel like I can’t walk outside my house, leave my yard, or drive anywhere without seeing someone I would rather not see, either because they are one of the town gossips, or because it’s someone I’ve had a negative interaction with.

But here is another side of this. When I first moved to New England, the man I bought my house from “John”, told me that he was moving to Arizona. John was about 70 years old, he had a very nice large house on two lots, and about six rental houses in New England. Even though he had lived in New England for most of his life, and he had adult children and family living in New England, he was selling everything and moving to Arizona. Imagine how surprised I was when I found out a few years later that John had moved to Dickinson, not Arizona!

A few years after I bought my house in New England, I purchased a couple of vacant lots in New England from a man named “Kevin”. Kevin was about 70 years old. He had lived and worked in New England for at least the past 30 years. He had a very nice house, an extra large garage, and several vacant lots. Kevin was moving to Dickinson. Like John, Kevin’s house was so nice, everything was in such good condition, I didn’t understand why Kevin or John would move to Dickinson.

This past summer, a lady named “Cathy” had a riding lawnmower for sale that I bought from her. Cathy was about 70 years old. She had lived in New England for most of her life, but she was selling her very nice home, and moving to either Dickinson or Bismarck. She had added onto her garage to make it a three-car garage, and had built a sun-room on the back of her house, I couldn’t understand why she was selling such a nice house and moving to Dickinson.

The long-time Mayor of New England “Marty”, retired as Mayor about two years ago. I began to notice that I never saw Marty around town anymore, it was as if he was gone. I was told that he had a home in South Dakota, that’s where he was.

John, Kevin, Cathy, and Marty were long-time residents of New England, with well-cared for family homes, and they were each very involved in New England. I couldn’t understand why they were leaving New England once they got into their 60s-70s. I thought to myself, once a person gets into their 60s and older, don’t they find it much easier to live in a small town, where they are completely familiar with everything, they know everyone, there are plenty of people to ask for help if they need it, there isn’t any traffic?

But, I think that I kind of do know the answer. In my opinion, they were sick of New England, tired of everyone knowing their business, and tired of each and every day, maybe even several times each day, seeing people that they really did not like. I mean, going outside to take out the trash, going to the Post Office, going to the Grocery Store, and seeing one of the town gossips for the third time that day. Why else would they sell everything and move to Dickinson?