If you've lived here long enough and you consider yourself one of the local yokels who hate tourists, you can rejoice in the realization of your favorite dream: tourism is way down this year. The amount of visitors, even on the holiday weekends, have seen a dramatic decrease. The weekly summer rentals that have long paid for the mortgages and property taxes on the million dollar-plus homes are also lagging. Sooner or later, the revenues that tourism used to bring will have to be made up from elsewhere. Guess who, yokel? We will get taxed in sales, in fines, and fees. The states running out of money, and so is Fantasy Island.
"I-40 South. Don't Use It." seems to be the message that is being sent to this area. Ironic, isn't it? You got your wish, now quit yer' bitchin'. By this time next year you'll be begging for tourists to sustain our economy, or you will have moved so far away that other local yokels will be calling you names. Let's all hope for the best this year and try to leave the tourists alone for the rest of the summer. They're just trying to give the town their hard-earned money and they deserve some courtesy for doing so in this terrible economy.
That doesn't mean that when they litter we shouldn't mention it and ask them to pick it up. It doesn't mean that when they get drunk and act stupid we shouldn't toss them to the curb. And when they ask where the best places are to eat, we should offer realistic suggestions. Adopt a tourist today and lets help turn this whole economic downturn upside down. Come September, the island will be all ours, once again.
Next: I'm Waving That Money At You Again, Honey.
"I-40 South. Don't Use It." seems to be the message that is being sent to this area. Ironic, isn't it? You got your wish, now quit yer' bitchin'. By this time next year you'll be begging for tourists to sustain our economy, or you will have moved so far away that other local yokels will be calling you names. Let's all hope for the best this year and try to leave the tourists alone for the rest of the summer. They're just trying to give the town their hard-earned money and they deserve some courtesy for doing so in this terrible economy.
That doesn't mean that when they litter we shouldn't mention it and ask them to pick it up. It doesn't mean that when they get drunk and act stupid we shouldn't toss them to the curb. And when they ask where the best places are to eat, we should offer realistic suggestions. Adopt a tourist today and lets help turn this whole economic downturn upside down. Come September, the island will be all ours, once again.
Next: I'm Waving That Money At You Again, Honey.
