Falmouth "Local"

I used to consider myself a wash-ashore. I wasn't born in Falmouth, but two of my three children were. So too was my wife's grandfather, Bob Roderick, who still lives in the same house where he was born.

My wife (A.K.A. Becky Druley) and I have been married for 17 years now. During that time I've come to learn what it is like to live in a small town, and I really like it.

I was an Army brat. My dad was either in the Army or working for the military and we lived in a variety of places over the years. The last stop for me was Falmouth, where we settled in 1987 when my dad got a job at Otis as a firefighter.

Because of this, I never lived in one place long enough to grow roots. Indeed, I've now lived in Falmouth longer than any other place, and I've no intention of moving any time soon. In fact, I don't even want to move across town.

As many of you know, Rebecca is the broker/owner of her own real estate company, and she gets to see a lot of homes in a lot of neighborhoods. She often talks about buying some house in that neighborhood, or getting a parcel of land over there and building a new house. Me, I'm just happy to have lived in one spot for more than five years. I hate moving.

So I'm not a native, but given that I've lived here for 20 years as the spouse of a third generation Cape Codder, I think it qualifies me for a label that's a step up from "wash-ashore". Earlier this evening someone said the very same thing.

Remember Christopher's Restaurant? It was across from Stop & Shop, where CVS is now.

How about the Closet Door? That was where the Bank of America is now.

The Buttery? They had the most wonderful cinnamon buns; those folks would see me coming and have one in a bag by the time I reached the counter. There's a Jamacian restaurant, Iriecorna, there these days.

Did you know Irene Roderick, Becky's grandmother? I knew her better than I had known my own grandmothers. We lost her last fall. I still miss her.

And so I'm a local.