Not like this many other places. We know. What you don’t do where you live out of state, we can in Maine.
Vacationland is so incredibly spoiled. In all the natural beauty we can move around and enjoy, sample it. But lucky in so many other ways. Especially when talking crime. Because we score a blue ribbon as 4th lowest in the country for misdeeds, law breaking.
More space, less people, kids taught respect growing up in friendly small Maine towns.
All sifts out to finely create freedom, safety, family values. We’re not on house arrest or living in fear.
In cities you better pay attention, watch closely, be diligent. Not so naive, trusting as we can be in small Maine rural towns. It’s an entirely different attitude, approach to living. You can walk, jog, bike, move around feeling secure here. Not just the adults either. We don’t carry tasers, mace, bats, concealed weapons for protection.
Thursday night I walked downtown to the movies.
Set me back only five dollars for the flick. Leaving the jeep in the yard sleeping. Do it a lot. Quicker to be hoofing it, beating feet to the splash of light on the big silver screen. Walking you see others doing the same shuffle your feet. As seasons change looking around, enjoying the surroundings. And always say hello. Nodding, smiling, waving in passing Sometimes stopping to talk with others out and about too.
Because we know each other. Hard not to in a small friendly Maine town. Because you work on community, civic, school, sporting, church events. Somehow related to many. Your kids do a good job involving, introducing you to their friends, other parents. We are all at the same activities. In the local paper take turns in photos and stories. Around the same social media circles we all follow. Comment on so in the know. Care about, are involved in each others’ life ups and downs.
Well lit at night small Maine towns. No walking dead zombies, or native Stephen King characters roaming the streets in the shadows. No lurking vampires looking for a warm type something negative or positive drink like Anne Rice writes about in her books. Feeling part of a neat small Maine town where everything is close, accessible.
Cities have mass transit and cars can be almost a nuisance. In the expensive find a needle in the haystack place to put one. To avoid tickets. And talk about traffic, accidents, road rage and raised fists, fingers and shouting.
In small Maine towns plenty of parking, no meters. Out after dark in Gotham City, some urban areas might be the craziest, riskiest thing that a person could ever do. Unless they have a death wish. To leave those thick security doors with surveillance cameras overhead all triple locked, dead bolted, chained.
We don’t have to iron bar, barricade doors, there are no gangs.
The doors unlocked. No drive by shootings. No second thought given to being out while the sun is borrowed, shared. Being enjoyed somewhere else on the planet. Not frowned on to have your kids with their friends up at the park during the four day Fourth of July State Fair rides, exhibits, games either. Have heard over and over from out of state Maine real estate buyers who never, ever let their kids out of their sight. Or to leave their yard where they used to live. That’s not living, that’s not Maine.
Sure the 4th for fireworks, the parade, grill cook outs with families all together. But kids are safe, free to roam and take advantage of in town parks and recreation events, after school programs. Ride bikes, walk to friend’s houses. Work on farms. Don’t have to have Mom and Dad for a shadow. No one worried about them getting snatched or finding themselves in harm’s way.
Other than teaching them about crossing our low traffic streets. Riding bikes to Little League to be careful. Look both ways. Or when with neighborhood friends out to the movies. To behave, be good or we’ll hear about it and you lose that freedom Jack or Jill. So kids are taught to be more responsible. Feeling empowered, independent, getting exercise, being social is growing up right. Tooling around town. Running errands, to the store, library. Helping out, contributing and feeling part of the family.
Having an important role. Mowing lawns, shoveling snow, baby sitting, doing chores to earn their spending money. Not just handed out folded, green dead Presidents gratis. But weaved in, partnered with some worth ethic pride of a job well done skills learned.
Many urban areas have neighborhoods to avoid like the Bermuda Triangle.
Not just skirt, avoid them like the plague after sundown. But any time for any reason. Cities have these thick, multiple rings like Saturn of ghettos. Red lined skull and cross bone, jolly roger flying blighted areas. Don’t go there.
Where life is not worth much. Definitely if traded, exchanged for anything of value on your person using a knife or fists or stolen gun. Or eying what you drive, have in, on your vehicle. Or medicine cabinet back home. Ahh….Roll through that next series of eight sided signs, red lights please. Trust me, just do it. Don’t argue, don’t stop! Lock your car door, keep your head down. That’s survival other places but no way to live, not the Maine I know.
All that’s typical, worried about in large cities is missing in Maine.
Frees you up. Giving you space inside to add things outside. You are a happier camper. Enjoy doing more in the moving around freely. You won’t be ignored here, just ask for anything you need. Except maybe where this guy got Moby Dick, the big Maine fish. Those details are guarded secrets. The story behind the wetting the line is sacred. Tightly lipped and Mum’s the word. So when are you scheduling, going to visit Maine? If it all sounds too good to be true, like a fairy tale dream. Time to wake up, get here quick as you can.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com