'Twas A Cool Easter Sunday Evening 2009, All Was Quiet

[Henry]

Wanted to get something in the mail so it would go out this morning and as I drove up through town to The Fairfax Post Office, all was very quiet.  So quiet in fact that I decided I would drive up to Minors Store and found that The Country Pantry was closed, as was Minor's Country Store.  I came back and drove down Maple Street, did see a couple of people looking at the brook near the covered bridge, went up by the school and saw three vehicles with young people quietly chatting in the school parking lot, then back up Hunt Street and up Main Street to Nan's who were open, but had only a few customers.

Over the years, we have grown so accustomed to seeing businesses open 365 days a year, its a rarity when they are closed.  We actually feel they need to be open.

I remember Sunday afternoons when I was younger living here in town, nothing was open.  The local grocery stores stayed open until around 1 p.m.  There was no Nan's or Boutins at first, but when Deckers & Boutins opened up, they did stay open all day Sunday and that was the start.

[Kathleen]

I liked the days of the Blue Laws in Vermont for Sundays -- no store over a certain size could be open (which usually meant just Mom & Pop type stores) and no liquor could be sold.  I thought it set Sundays apart from the rest of the week and made them special.

Now, everything is open all the time including holidays.  I saw the Dollar General in Milton open Christmas morning!  At least McDonald's still closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I guess it's all about the almighty dollar now.  It's too bad!