Are Country Folk More Honest? Part 2

February 9, 2015 by Elizabeth Melton Parsons 42 Comments

To Read Part 1: Are Country Folk More Honest? Part 1

T. C. Steele

We all have our moments of stupidity, but I seem to have more than my share. One year on vacation I decided to visit Brown County Forestry and Nashville, Indiana, nicknamed ‘Little Nashville’ after Nashville, Tennessee because of all the music shows they have. I was there in October because I wanted to visit the forestry when the leaves were their most colorful and I wanted to visit the home and studio of artist T. C. Steele. The little village of Nashville is quaint and charming, but when I was there must have been a peak time because the streets were jammed with people. I stood in line for over an hour just to buy an ice cream cone. Even though small, the crowds in this town made it like being on the streets of New York during the busiest hours. I’d never seen anything like it.

I needed to escape the hordes of people for awhile and walked down a little backstreet to a historical building. There wasn’t anyone there and I sat down on a bench to take a break. While there, a few people came by and I spoke to a couple of very nice ladies before deciding to walk back to the car. I’d parked a long ways from the town center because there simply wasn’t any parking space available anywhere. Once at the car I realized I didn’t have my keys because my handbag was gone. I panicked. I couldn’t remember where I could have lost it. It never entered my mind that someone could have swiped it. As I said, much too trusting.

I called the police and a very nice officer came to make a report. He told me this kind of thing happens all the time and I’d never get it back. He said they usually take all the money and credit cards, then toss the bag somewhere. I figured they weren’t going to do anything so I sat on the tarmac beside the car and took some deep, calming breaths. Once my panic eased I began thinking over everything I’d done since I’d last had my bag. I was sure I’d lost it somewhere and it had not been stolen. I remembered the bench where I’d rested and thought maybe the strap had slipped off my shoulder while sitting there. I ran back there and of course it wasn’t there. Seeing a fleck of bright orange I looked through some trees and realized it was prisoners in an enclosure next to, of all things, a jailhouse. Guess what? When checking with the officers inside, they had my handbag. Nothing was missing. Those nice ladies I’d spoken to had seen it after I left and turned it in. My trusting nature had been renewed. 🙂 I count this incident in the big city category because of the thousands of people around that day.

My next incident happened just a few days ago when I’d gone shopping. I’d just left the grocery store and stopped at another store on my way home to pick up some laundry detergent and other household items. The parking lot was full so I parked on the side in the only space available. I was in a hurry to get home and grabbed a twenty out of my purse and left the purse on the front seat. When I got out of the car I pushed what I thought was the lock button on my remote door control and hurried around the building to the front door. I was in the store for much longer than I’d expected to be and when I came out my car trunk was standing open with all my groceries in plain site. I’d accidentally hit the trunk button instead of the lock button. Not only were groceries in plain sight, but my purse with money and credit cards was in full view on the front seat in an unlocked car. I really need a keeper. 🙄 This a country community and no one had touched any of my stuff.

I have no clue as to whether country folk are more honest.  The one thing I am sure of is that I have far too many stupid moments in my life. I think there are thieves everywhere and I have had both good and bad experiences in both cites and small towns. But it does seem that in rural communities you’re a lot less likely to be the victim of theft. What do you think?