"It's a Small World, After All"...Isn't It?

 




Some of the terrain/scenery at Little Big Horn National Historic Site

I wonder if the music makers who created the song "It's a Small World" for the Disney attraction at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair had any idea how small our world would get.  (After the World's Fair, the attraction was moved to Orlando for the upcoming Walt Disney World Fantasy Land that would open in 1971).  The world does seem to get smaller every day.  It is very evident when new acquaintances show up in some very strange places.

 

 

Our recent trip out to the Northern Plains state proved this once again.

 

 

Levy County, Florida is the ninth largest county in the state.  That is, by land area.  It, however, has a

fairly low people population.  Cattle, horses, peanuts, long-leaf pine and watermelon are the dominant residents.  All of these are agriculture products.  (Yes, long-leaf pine is agriculture.  The needles that have covered the ground are harvested for "pine straw.").  There are also a handful of other types of trees that cover the somewhat hilly terrain...dominant is the live oak.  There are four or five high schools in the entire county (which is more than some other counties--having only one high school in the entire county--but the land area is much less).  Surprisingly, there are several incorporated towns (aka incorporated "cities").  The 2000 census indicated somewhat less than a population of 30,000 for the entire county.  I don't how many people were counted in the most recent census, however.

 

 

 

 

 

Otter Creek is one of these incorporated cities.  Now, I know most of you are asking, "Where the heck is Otter Creek!"  Well, the main drag fronts US19.  It has a convenience store and a post office.  It used to have a general store, but it closed in March of this year (I have heard, but cannot verify).  It can seen (albeit quickly) if one is driving to Cedar Key.

 

 

A couple of months ago, I was heading north in Georgia and stopped at a Cracker Barrel.  It was kind of an off time, so being the shy recluse that I am, I started a conversation with the cashier and mentioned I was living in North Central Florida.  She asked me where.  My answer was the norm..."near Gainesville."  Most people have never heard of Otter Creek, Gulf Hammock, Morriston, Montrose, Levyville (and many other "cities," towns, and wannabe towns).  She continued her questioning with another "where?"  I told her the name of the town in which I live.  And, she bubbled and said, "I'm from Otter Creek."  We had a long discussion about the area, including the fact that the General store had recently closed, and her cousin had lost her job.  I laughed and teased her that odds would have been that one of her relatives would have worked there.  Isn't everyone in Otter Creek related?  Well, that was Georgia.  And a move from Florida to Georgia is not all that strange

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Now, that y'all have the background...here's the rest of the story.

 

 

We arrived at the National Historic Site in Montana known as Little Big Horn otherwise known as Custer's Last Stand (separate posting).  The area is huge and mostly a driving tour.  But there is an area near the entrance, cemetery, visitors' center that is a "walking" tour.  Again, being the shy recluse, I got talking to a nice young couple.  I don't remember how the conversation started, but...  He wore a Marine tee-shirt.  He is a former Marine...oops, sorry, Once a Marine, Always a Marine...but he is no longer actively in the service.

 

 

I guess I mentioned North Central Florida.  We did the "where?" thing again.  But before I answered,  he said he was from "Chiefland."  Oh, wow, that's in my County.  Well, it turns out that he does not really hail from Chiefland, but, maybe you guessed it--OTTER CREEK!!!  He says "Chiefland" as a few people have actually heard of Otter Creek.  But a few more have heard of Chiefland as that is the biggest city in the county.  A lot more people know of Chiefland than they do of Otter Creek,  We laughed and giggled about it.  His lady is from North Carolina, which is where they currently live.

 

 

Next he sent a text to his brother, who immediately sent a text back to him.  NO KIDDING!  The brother was laughing, too!  How can two people who have lived in LEVY COUNTY run into each other at such a remote place as a Crow Indian Reservation in Montana!! (Yes, much of the battlefield is on Indian territory!)  Planned or just an irony, I don't know.

 

Loved talking to y'all!