Maiden, North Carolina

This summer I am living in the thriving metropolis of Maiden, NC for a few months. I have been assigned to May's Chapel UMC as their pastoral intern for a few months before I begin my Masters at Duke this August. 

Maiden has all of 3 traffic lights, 1 supermarket, 1 gas station and what feels like 10 churches. I feel like half the town is clergy. To let you understand the cultural vibe in Maiden I must first explain (what I think) is the favorite past time of locals... I have seen at least 15 people in the last week rocking out mowing their lawns on riding lawn mowers with headsets with antennas that might pick up the radio from mars- these people are serious about their grass and hay. 

Yesterday I went to a local Christian organization that helps people pay their bills when they fall behind. I was sitting in the waiting room with a retired nurse from May's Chapel UMC helping give free blood pressure tests. This very large African American man walks in the door and heads over to get his bp checked. Afterwards while standing in line he whips out his harmonica and with one hand starts pipping out some of the best blue grass music I have ever heard. He started singing old hymns between his harmonica beats. In the middle of this waiting room with about 30 people in it he sang the story about "a man from Galilee" beautifully. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. 

I'm staying in the basement of this couple who are members of the church. Later that same day as my bluegrass encounter in the day I was sitting in the grass next to the house talking to my sister. As I hung up the phone and stood up I looked over and saw I long skinny black snake. I went to the front of the house and asked Guylene if Jimmy was there to get him to take care of it, which he wasn't, and I told her about the snake. Without hesitation she grabbed a hoe walked around the the side of the house and chopped its head off.

I did not know what to expect in a small town. I've had Miranda Lambert's song stuck in my head for days. I've learned in 6 days that it could not be more true. Dave, the pastor at May's Chapel, said that someone could sneeze at one end of town and someone on the other end of town would say bless you... it's that small.

Now I'm sitting in a locally owned coffee shop in Newton, a larger nearby town, in a coffee shop named Zander's. Zander's has local Carolina coffee, wifi, a cool artsy vibe and a giant chandelier when you walk in the door. I love it. I think one of my missions on my off days is to find local coffee shops around the town of Maiden this summer. So far its been really fun and interesting. I've learned the best places to find local pottery.