Small town politics can expose small town emperors

By Dan Barber

There are small towns across American that has a local “personality” who may be a legend in their own mind. These people are mostly harmless unless they try to destroy people socially, financially or physically who accidently or purposely attempt to rock the pedestal the local celebrity is perched upon.

Years ago my grandparents lived in a small town in a Southern state that had their “living legend” that was rumored to have shot a man to death in his youth while delivering moonshine. This gentleman, we will call him Mr. Smith, was both feared and loved mostly because he would befriend outsiders from the “big city” who were trying to escape to small town America.

He would offer to sell these “city people” an old inexpensive farmhouse on a nice piece of property, Mr. Smith owned, via a land contract. These “city dwellers discovered that during the first winter in their new home they could quickly become snowbound and unable to get to their jobs, so they would fall behind on their mortgage payments to Mr. Smith. He would tell them not to worry…he would offer to help them with a vacation away from their worries.

However, while the “big city country dwellers were off enjoying their vacation, paid for by Mr. Smith, their old farm house would mysteriously burn to the ground because the local fire department couldn’t get to the property due to bad roads.  Mr. Smith  would notify the homeowners of the bad news with “good news” he would help the unfortunate family by personally supervising the construction of a new modern brick home from the insurance Mr. Smith carried on their home… “Here is some extra cash, enjoy your vacation and I will keep you posted.”

When the innocent victims of Mr. Smith return to their new country home, low and behold they find a nice red brick home awaiting them with a smiling Mr. Smith holding the keys to their brand new modern house.

However, the very next winter when the poorly maintained country lanes were once again impassable due to heavy snow the “country homeowners” would fall behind in their payments once again. Mr. Smith informs them that he has already done more to help them than he can afford. He evicts the family from their nice modern red brick home they and the insurance company paid for.

Mr. Smith uses his influence with the local politicians to ensure the country lanes to the properties he owns are made passable during the winter months so people can get out to their jobs and emergency vehicles can gain access when needed. He is lauded locally as a visionary community developer and philanthropist.

I heard that Mr. Smith met his maker at the hands of his own son who shot him to death.

Local “celebrity” personalities aren’t hard to spot. They are constantly self-promoting themselves and they are very protective of their image. They work hard at controlling the message of what they represent even if it is just a “big fish in a small pond.”

There are without a doubt truly good people who work tirelessly to improve their communities or the lives of their neighbors by doing altruistic deeds without any expectations of return other than self-satisfaction.