Had a conversation with a real Carrboroite this week: born and raised here as were his parents. He'll retire soon, and when he does, he'll be gone. Told me he had plans for Alamance County. Only big issue was: when Carolina North builds up, will it ruin Alamance County the same way it has ruined Orange and Chatham counties? Ruined, that's an ominous forecast. What he meant was taxes and lifestyle.

Taxes and lifestyle. What did that mean? Well, he maintains, the taxes keep going up and the benefits of those taxes; they're nonexistent. Lifestyle; well, my friend now knows where his house key is. Seems that growing up, he never needed to lock his door. And politics, that was something no one ever thought of. Some local people were always elected and they did what made sense. Not anymore.

Me, I'm from everywhere USA. Having been there, done that, I know that the best people are from the South. That's why I moved here. My friend and I agreed: I'd made a mistake, I'd just moved geographically South and was now living in New Jersey.

It's a real shame that people have to move from their ancestral homes just because other people who messed up other areas of the country bring those problems with them to their new homes and ruin those communities.

I hope my friend's new home doesn't need a lock. I notice that Mama Dips' servings are getting smaller and her prices higher.

Gordon Cook

Carrboro