Do Such Places Really Exist

I do think such places exist, maybe not quite as exaggerated as in Steel Magnolias, but not far off. My first time going to Knoxville, TN, I was just reaching the city limits on Interstate 81 when we came upon a traffic jam caused by an accident that was being cleaned up. Most of the delay was what we call "gaper" delay - people slowing down both for emergency vehicles as well as to check it out. Well, as my daughter and I crawled past the flatbed tow truck and could see the car and police in the grassy median, I suddenly heard my daughter scream, "MOM!!!" and looked up just in time to see myself tapping the back bumper of the car in front of me. You know, it's bad enough you do something so stupid, but when it's your first time in the state and you're a Yankee to boot, you want to crawl away and hide. I got out of my car after we pulled off into the shoulder and apologized profusely to the woman I'd hit. Eventually a police officer came over and checked out our cars and asked if we wanted to do anything about it since there didn't appear to be any damage. I let her go first. She said it was all good, so I did as well. He let us go. But, before I got back in my car, she asked me about my trip, why was I there, etc. And then, the surprise of my life, she reached out and hugged me saying, "Welcome to Tennessee. I hope you enjoy your visit." HOLY COW!! That did it for me. I was hooked and definitely wanted to come back in the future!! In New Jersey, you'd be lucky to not get a beat down!! In Tennessee, I got a hug!!

I don't know when or why it started but many people have become insular and only bother about themselves (and I am guilty of this too) and I blame the onset of fences. When Mum and Dad moved into their street in the late 60s there were small picket fences inbetween all the back gardens, so everyone could look right the way down them in each direction. Over the years they have ALL been replaced by high fences or walls. Most of them still tend their gardens but the fronts are a different story..gardens ripped up, replaced by driveways for the ever-increasing number of cars people have acquired. Cars were unheard of, even in the 70s, when us kids used to play out in the street. Now they all just run about and shout at each other. Having said all that, it's not been a recent thing whereby neighbours ignore one another for no reason at all. My Dad has lost count of the times he has TRIED to speak to his neighbours and they ignore him, only to speak to people a few doors up instead. It's all very strange. As for me, I now live in a street of terraced houses. I should imagine - years ago, the blokes would go to work (there was a cranemakers site down the road now replaced by a commercial estate) and their wives would scrub their front doorsteps with pride. That way they could converse with their neighbours. None of us do this anymore. We all shut ourselves away, lock the doors, watch telly and "speak" to more people on the computer than in the real world. Yes, we say "hello" but that's as far as it goes. We are all frightened of becoming friendly with anyone. The trust has gone. I tell you one thing though..if I had elderly neighbours I WOULD check on them. I've read many stories about the old not turning their fires on and wrapping themselves up in coats and it breaks my heart. How have we got to this? Isn't it ironic how we all love "Lark Rise to Candleford?" It made me cry at least 5 times tonight!!

Ours is a smaller apartment complex (in comparison with the huge complexes with 200-300 apartments that have come up close by). So, most of us know each other and are quite aware of new people who move in....even though we do not have common walls. We welcome strangers (who move into the apartment) but I can't say all of us are friends. There are some down side to everyone knowing everyone else. We have our squabbles and nasty people who we cannot avoid even if we want to. So, not everyone is friends...and we also have people who do not talk to each other. If I meet someone I haven't met before in the elevator, I say 'hello' and ask which apartment they moved into...and other details...not the nosy kind but the general kind.

Yes, kind of. Even though we're in the big town of London (well, its suburbs really), our neighbourhood is a very friendly place. Lots of people know oneanother, (especially those of us with children - having kids certainly makes it easier to know your neighbours). Our life revolves around the local school, and we have some local events and kids activities where everyone sees oneanother. We are lucky that there are some residents who work hard to organise these things, and we hope they never move away, lol!! But a lot of us have the attitude that it's up to all of us to help in these kinds of things. I know we're very lucky to live here, and that this situation is maybe a bit unusual, and it's maybe not quite so laid-back as on Steel Magnolias, but it's a great place to live! :)

Sadly, it is fictional. I think the closest you come when you are young and have you friends. Co-workers sometimes but not very often because they are all out for themselves. I know some of my neighbors. I grew up knowing all my neighbors up and down the road. Things are different in the world today. It is not as easy to find a true friend and really good people.

I used to be that all likable loving person, but living in the ghetto and several friends being murdered just beat that right the hell out of me.

My mother is originally from Tennessee and I have family though Tennessee and Kentucky and there are a LOT of places there that are like that. I myself was born and raised in a big city and to me people being that open and friendly can be rather obnoxious and pushy.

I would imagine in small towns there's a sense of camaraderie and friendliness and sharing--of course in such small towns there would perhaps be more of a chance of gossipy nosy bodies...LOL One of my FB friends lives in the area of Australia (Brisbane) where the horrific floods were ---and she told me EVERYONE is pitching in and helping each other As for where I live...yikes on my block alone without exaggeration there must be about 800 or more people living in the apts....so nope hardly anyone knows each other BTW--LOVE Steel Magnolias--love Ouiser's character

Actually I live in a small town and everyone knows just about everyone...and yes. We are friendly...they are not strangers passing on the street...and my neighbors just rock! I have what we call the boys club in my neighborhood...I am a single woman..and these guys watch out for me. If someone were to break into my house or try to harm me they would have to deal with about four grown men who seriously protect me! Can't live any place better! Also...in Minnesota we have a name for it....it's called Minnesota Nice!

I've never seen the movie but it's on my list of ones I want to watch. I have never seen woman that are openhearted with each other generally although I have a couple of friends that I can be myself with and I know they won't gossip about me or talk behind my back. Generally, in my experience, women are catty and mean to each other and I don't trust most of them as far as I can throw them. It would be wonderful if the kind of camaraderie you describe in Steel Magnolias was the rule rather than the exception.