Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Let’s Hear John Mellencamp Sing About This Small Town

I read recently that there was a small town listed for bid on E-Bay, if I read correctly (since I can no longer locate the story, but I swear I’m not making it up). Apparently it was just a few buildings but because it used to have a post office it can be considered a town. How cool would it be to own a town? Very, I say. I could buy a town and join the ranks of other famous town owners like Kim Basinger and even Walt Disney. I know Walt did not own a town, but I am choosing to give him credit for Disneyland.

When you buy a town, I wonder if you get to rename it. I hope so. I’d hate to spend that type of money and be stuck with someone else’s town name. I think I’d call it something that would be easy to read on a small map and could be readily understood by everyone passing through. The name of my town would be Michael’s Town. I realize it’s an exclusive sounding name, but the town would be very inviting and open to all. Where the money would come from to establish this town is beyond me, especially after paying to obtain the town in the first place. So, we’ll just assume that I have the money to both buy AND fix up the town. To help you better imagine my town, I am trying for something between Mayberry and New Rochelle (bonus points to anyone who knows what show was set in New Rochelle), although I’ve only seen both of those towns in black and white, so maybe I should shoot for Oz. That had plenty of color from what I remember.

That all being said, I would commission a beautiful sign at the border of my town welcoming everyone. I would seek out corporate sponsorship to somehow offset the cost of the sign (and the town), so the sign may read something like: ‘Welcome To Michael’s Town, sponsored by Coca-Cola and presented by Procter and Gamble.’ Yeah, corporate sponsorship is always a last result, but think of what the additional funds will let me do with my town.

There would definitely need to be an old-fashioned main street in my town complete with gazebo where people could perform and public celebrations could be held. It shall be called the Chevron Gazebo, presented by Frito-Lay. My town would also need a gas station, bowling alley, laser tag facility, mini-golf course, bounce house birthday place, movie theater, town hall, fire house and old-fashioned candy store/malt shoppe (notice the fancy ‘e’ on the end there?). Oh, it would need a Bar-B-Ques galore, too. Seriously, have you ever seen a town without a Bar-B-Ques Galore? Ok, a SUCCESSFUL town without one. And a Chili’s. Every town needs a Chili’s. How awful would it be to live in a town where you couldn’t drop everything and go order an Awesome Blossom whenever you felt like it? Maybe they can get a way with that stuff over in Crapsville, but most certainly not in Michael Town.

Since I paid for the town, I believe that entitles me to mayorialship (my word, but feel free to use it). Having never held public office, I don’t know what my mayorialship would require of me, but I’m hoping it’s stuff like judging pie eating contests, beauty contests, figuring out how to spend the town’s money and lots of ‘official’ afternoon naps. I’m also counting on an oversized pair of scissors I can carry around for official ribbon cuttings (and for use as a theft deterrent and my lawn care/shrubbery needs). A sash that says ‘Mayor’ would be pretty snazzy too. I’d like a top hat, but if I have to choose between them, I’ll take the sash.

I suppose folks are going to want to live in my town, so a homebuilder would be necessary. And once you build homes, you need grocery stores and sprinklers and a newspaper. Then comes a police force, schools, eventually an airport, a dump, a hospital and then a McDonalds, though not in that order, so you can call off your lawyer goons Mickey D’s. Wow, this is going to get expensive. I think the first thing I’ll do as mayor will be to pass a law declaring that deficit spending is ok and that I will need to raise taxes. To avoid having too high a tax rate I will open corporate sponsorship up to all public facilities. The school can be sponsored by Elmer’s glue, the police station by ‘Cops’ on FOX, the dump by Hefty Trash Bags and the airport by Southwest Airlines. For fun I could try to get Burger King to sponsor McDonalds. Lastly, I would consent to Terminex Pest Control sponsoring the mayor’s house. Imagine how cool the house would look with a big plastic bug lying on its back on the roof. We can put a red nose on it at Christmas time.

On second thought, just thinking of all this stuff is making me tired. Perhaps I’ll just buy the town and ‘flip’ it for a profit. I’ve watched people ‘flip’ properties on HGTV, so it can’t be too hard to unload a town that I paid way too much for, right? Oh crap, now I’m gonna be paranoid.

13 comments:

Lis said...

It sounds like too much work. I get tired just thinking about playing my Sims, much less running a real town.

Odat said...

I think Michael's Town sounds like a nice place to visit...I'd be afraid of a mayor who would carry around those big scissors tho.
(Was it Dick Van Dyke Show?)
Peace

Patti said...

I get Bonus Points!!! It was The Dick Van Dyke show. New Rochelle is where Rob and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) Petrie lived.
Michael, you've simultaneously made me feel good (bonus points) and bad (old enough to remember watching that great sitcom in real time)

Now I'll continue reading the post. I had to get the points in first. ;-)

Patti said...

LOL > Crapsville. Great name.
Michael's Town reminds me of Springfield, the Simpsons' hometown.

Don't forget to include a convenience store. You can't leave out Apu.

Note to Odat: Around these parts the big scissors used for grand openings are made of cardboard that's painted silver or gold. Not too dangerous.

Anonymous said...

I think your town sounds fantastic. Sounds like you have an excellent plan for getting started. You should make it mandatory that every person who moves there must obtain one town sponsor. Less work for you to do.

Oh-and Chili's is a great idea. It is considered to be the new golf course. It is where business happens, according to Small Businessman Magazine.

Open Grove Claudia said...

You could always move to Idaho and live in Demi Moore and Bruce Willis's town. They never became Mayor, but they own the whole thing.

AndreAnna said...

I would name my town "Going To?" so when people would ask what town I was moving to and I replied "Going To?" they would say "I said WHAT TOWN ARE YOU MOVING TO?" And I would say "Are you coming to Going To? too?

magickat said...

All loyal blog readers would get Official Key to the City of Michael's Town, right?

Can mine be made of cheese?

magickat said...

And deep fried?

Ralph said...

I guess that I never saw you as the latest Diamond Jim Quimby mayor (excluding Quimby's love of wine, women and graft)

Anonymous said...

Wow.

Patti BEAT ME to the answer.

Damn.

Anywhoo.....yeah owning a town would be ALOT of work...however, I think Michael Town would be a GREAT place to live...with all those awesome blossoms, bb-q's and events!!


Id move in.

Patti said...

Meleah R: please don't get angry with an old woman like myself
;-)
I'm good at 60s trivia

Rebecca said...

I think you just described the basics of Sim City... But it would be fun!! :P