Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1512215
Jim Kastleman JACK THOMPSON W alking into the Mercantile recently, I held the door open for a smiling woman to pass. As she slid through, she said, "Thanks! Wow, someone actually still opens doors for others." Then, at a wedding party a few days later, I joined a conversation with a couple who moved to the area a few years ago from Houston. They were lamenting about discussions they'd been having lately about the "us versus them" attitude out here, and how someone had recommended the need for a cultural committee to bring the two together. Really? "Us" are the folks who grew up here or have been here for decades; "them" are the ones who have discovered the wonderful country life in Fayette and surrounding counties and have either transplanted themselves or have second homes here. Although I've been visiting Round Top for nearly 30 years, I guess since I moved out here just three years ago, I qualify as one of "them." However, I don't feel like one of "them" for a few reasons — mainly, I have become friends with so many of the "us." Getting to know someone can eliminate stereotypes quickly. There are other rules that I've learned, many by watching my son, Ben, as he had been a "them" just a few years ago, but now is an "us," if ever there was one. Don't judge. Treat the guy who rolls hay for a living just as you do the couple who bought the $5 million dollar ranch. Join in with the "us-es" again, get to know them, and you'll become friends. Ben's grandfather, who had great friends and business outside of the city, taught him that. And, of course, use the universal code of courtesy. It works well out here and, with luck, could spread back into the city. This is a holiday message. Sadly, we need the most festive time of year to remind us of basic humanity and mutual respect. But, in that spirit: Get out into the community! Round Top and surrounding towns have some of the best holiday events — parades, Christmas tree lightings, the Nutcracker Ballet at Festival Hill, and more. Check out the events at roundtop.com or the bulletin board at local stores or gas stations — that old-fashioned way of communicating what's going on in the community. Cheers. Jim Kastleman Chairman jim@papercitymag.com 12