You can’t stand in a checkout lane in a small town store without getting caught up in chat. Not your own, necessarily. More likely it’s the cashier and someone she knows – they’ll be just ahead of you, of course, so you have to wait for them to get through all the chitchat.

 You’ll hear about 4-H cows while waiting in line to pick up photos. There’s also news of the local Boy Scout chapter while you’re waiting at the home improvement store. Aunt Sadie’s health problems have to be dealt with at the grocery checkout.

 Exhibiting any impatience with all this chitchat in a small town is forbidden. Folks will take their time and they most definitely will finish their conversations. You might as well leave that Type A personality back in the big city as far as they’re concerned.

 Just relax – smile as if you mean it, and you’ll get through that checkout line sooner or later.