In America, the economists and politicians have decided that rural life – farms, small businesses, doctor’s offices, towns – are inefficient, and don’t fit well into the new global and corporate economy, so they are dying, emptying out as schools empty out, sons and daughters are forced into bad jobs in cities, and work, post offices and farms vanish. It seems doubtful you will hear about this on the campaign trail. It seems to not be as important as wars and politics.

In rural America, there are often few restaurants, but every small town has a Thrift Store, sometimes two, among the few remaining entities than can compete in their own sphere with Wal-Mart or Lowe’s or Appleby’s. For me, these stores are testaments to the lives of the people who bring offerings here. There is a powerful impulse in rural life to share good fortune, and people often talk about cleaning up their homes and bringing stuff to the nearest Thrift Store. For me, these stores are sometimes fun – bargain hunting – and sometimes seem haunting to me.