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Inside Out

In another tourist land

Jeanne Sager
Posted 8/16/22

We were mid-conversation with a local resident on our recent vacation when she asked where we were visiting from.

“The Catskills,” we said.

“Oh, so you get it!” she …

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Inside Out

In another tourist land

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We were mid-conversation with a local resident on our recent vacation when she asked where we were visiting from.

“The Catskills,” we said.

“Oh, so you get it!” she said, her eyes immediately lighting up.

Yes. We got it.

We got why the local resident was questioning her sanity after deciding to take her kids to play mini golf on a Saturday in the middle of the summer. We’ve gone to the grocery store on the Saturday morning of July 4th weekend ... we know what happens.

We got why, when Provincetown restaurants had to close for two whole days during our stay that this wasn’t just an inconvenience for us as visitors — it was an outright disaster for business owners who have 100 days to make their year’s salary. We too make money for our small business during a very short window of time during the year when people want their photos taken outside in the glorious weather with our spectacular scenery.

We got why there were signs reminding visitors to respect the homeowners and private property surrounding the public beaches and walkways almost everywhere we went.

We got why homeowners had posted large signs warning that their property was private.

We got why there were giant “respect the local” stickers on cars and buildings.

And yet, none of this made us want to leave.

Instead, it made us appreciate all the more the gift of being able to share in another beautiful section of our country for a few days.

It made us extra kind to the cashiers and the waitstaff, to the bussers cleaning up after families who’d seemingly gotten more food on the floor than in their stomachs and to the servers running to refill drink after drink after drink because tables full of adults couldn’t come together to all ask for more soda at the same time.

It made us drop our voices to whispers as we ventured out of the commercial district and wandered past residences on the way back to our car at night, and it made us pull over to the side of the road to allow others to pass when we needed to drive a bit slower to find our way.

Respecting the locals works everywhere.

Get it?

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