In rural life, government often functions on a different scale than it does for most Americans, crowded into cities and suburbs. Government is not remote here, government is us. We know everybody in government, who plows the roads, who signs the permits. Town court is held in our City Hall down the road, an old schoolhouse.

The judge is a local person, elected every few years. One night a week, the old schoolhouse parking has some cars, and that is where government business is done, where the judge presides. Government is personal, which is not to say perfect. Our town hall reminds me where I live, where I am, even though there are the usual share of squabbles, resentments, groans and moans. I have this notion that this is what the country used to be like, I am grateful I found my way here.