Maybe there will be coffee left on Monday? Are they gone yet?

Are all the leaf-peepers gone yet? 

It's a strange situation, what with our local economy being so tourist-dependent. Main Street has been rather congested lately (more than usual-- and that's saying a bit). Our stores and streets have been inundated with folks who are not from here-- you can tell, with all of the standing in the middle of the sidewalk, the road, etc. with cell phones pointed at leaves, steeples, defunct movie theatre marquees and the like. Local restaurants have been packed full. Even the Walmart has had an uptick in business, possibly due to the campers parked in the lot overnight. 

I try to maintain a wider view of things, but really, I just want to be able to get my groceries, maybe go out for a beer and sandwich, and travel from point A to B safely without hitting an errant pedestrian who cannot see the crosswalk ten feet away. And for the love of all that's holy, I wish they would leave some coffee for the rest of us at Starbucks, please. By Monday morning, they are out of almost everything, and the line through the drive through is insane all day, every day. (I know, first world probs.)

We are a really small town in a beautiful location-- how quaint. And yes, all of this extra humanity does pay the bills and keep folks employed. But it does get a little tiresome, especially when the busses are still rolling in, and the leaves have pretty much faded to beige. There's nothing to see here-- head south, already! We'll have a little reprieve before the ski folks start taking over. In the meantime, maybe it'll be safe for my husband to get a little bird hunting in; he's been hesitant to go out into the o-so-colorful woods this last couple of weeks. There is no open season on tourists looking at nature. 

What's kind of sad, though, is the number of businesses that get depleted, both in stock and sheer human energy, so they close for a short break right about now. I don't begrudge them a respite, but since we who are local have been pushed out of the way for weeks, we'd like a shot at a muffin or something delightful-- like a seat. 

Still, the tourist dollars are necessary. I wish we had a way to balance it out, though, other than throwing elbows. Maybe their should be a locals week declared each season. Except for black fly season (May)-- the gawkers can have that all to themselves. 

Have a great day,

C