Times call for change . . . and I will admit I don’t like it. I am referring specifically about our bank. It had been a locally owned bank for as long as Dennis could remember, and Dennis is a homegrown fellow. A new building was built about the time I came to St. James in the late 1970s. It was comfortable to bank at St. James Federal bank with individuals that were called friends and neighbors. Those holding the purse strings had and knew the history of their clients.
Two years ago it became Wells Federal Bank. There was a shift in the top tier personnel. The worker bees were still our friends and neighbors. What a pain shifting routing numbers for accounts that Dennis and I do online.
This summer we received word . . . another change. We are now Citizens Consumer Federal. Headquarters in the state of Georgia is a lot different than downtown St. James. We had until August 25th to get the new routing number out to our accounts. Ugh! I do realize that small towns are being sucked out by larger companies of various types. Not many local families or companies can compete. There are still friendly faces, but for some reason it feels totally different.
Our locally owned lumber company is closing. Who could step in and take it over. Caching, Caching! It takes money and a lot of it. We have lost one of our two grocery stores. Other than I am at a loss for words as to what to call it, our junkyard and recycling family is selling out. It was much like “Sanford and Son.” They did get a buyer to sell out so that will continue. It is a company from Iowa. I have always heard there is a lot of money in junk cars and selling parts.
Change is coming and Dennis and I are going to continue keeping up. Trying to keep up is not an option. We need to step up to maintain our lives. Dang it. I will always have one leg dragging behind and maintaining some of those “good old days.”