The one thing I will always value as a Kings Parker is I know the word ‘community’. Living somewhere new may have brought a closer commute to attractions – but it brought me farther away from something I thought was everywhere.
Recently I became a Stella & Dot Stylist which is a job that I took to carry me through the event off season. I got dressed up to walk my dog and I handed out invitations to my neighbors. I have lived in my current apartment for almost two years and I could not tell you who lives where on my street. While my husband does not understand this conundrum I had to explain.
I grew up on a block of kids remotely all my age. We knew who lived where, and the same neighbor was all of our beloved babysitter. Bus stop walks were made by friends, and for fun we would walk to 7-11. While many other people would look at us like we have six heads for saying this, we really had fun. It was like Kings Park was an open playground and all of us kids were safe because more times than most, we knew the people who lived in the houses we were walking by on a first name bases. Parents had little worry while we hung around town; because some relative or neighbor will see you spit in the street and call your mother when you got home.
While I may like to ruffle feathers about how Kings Park should update Main Street a bit – I still long for that feeling of community.
So, taking to my streets I said hello, passed out flyers and catalogues inviting everyone over on a Friday night for wine, cheese and jewelry. No obligation to purchase, just an opportunity to get to know each other.
It was not surprising to me that none of my neighbors showed up. Just some family members who I invited as back up. It did not upset me, rather it made me think. Back home (yes, Kings Park will always be home to me) if I had walked my dog down my block with invitations I would have at least gotten a phone call from someone.
Kings Park knows community like no other place I have ever been and it is something that the world completely lacks. While there may not be any one big thing that draws the world into town (expect for the KPCC that kids like to lock themselves into) there is something extremely rare and special about a town that could come together in the face of anything.
Sure every show has it’s drama – but it is the way that drama is resolved is what truly matters.
And I know that it is not just home, but Kings Park is where the heart
is.
