Where's Downtown!!

I miss having a downtown, and it's one of the things missing here in "lovely" Arizona.  I was checking out a few of my favorite blogs this morning, decor8 and through it, creativethursdays; here she was talking about a day in her life, and when I came to the part when she takes a walk to the post office it made me homesick, very homesick.  I miss my downtown(s) - yes, back East my house was situated in a part of town that gave me access to the downtown of two different towns - get it?  Every Saturday I would drive to one downtown to pick up my mail at the P.O. Box and chat with the ladies there, who have known me for over 10 years, same faces, same smiles; then it was off to the "Happy Market" - I'm not kidding you, that was the name of it, with the picture of the smiley face and all.  It was the Korean version of a 7-11 and their machine dispensed one of the best tasting fake/generic cappuccinos I have ever had, Starbucks notwithstanding.  Then it was off to the other downtown to pick up bagels and humongous muffins of exotic flavors - could never settle for just one.  And finally, a trip to the library to pick up either a movie or a book, they already had suggestions for me because they knew me so well - the joys of reading have been all but lost to me for the past couple of years, thank God for books on tape!

I miss my little ritual on Saturdays!  I miss all the green trees, the smiling faces of those who knew me from the neighborhood, the food, the people..........I miss the East, snow, humidity and all (gasp!).  Here is just dust, strange, mistrusting people, a brown landscape and NO downtown!  The towns run into each other, there's no clear border between them and NO downtown!  They all have a strip mall, and I guess for some that would be the definition of a downtown, but not for me....... after two years, it is still all so alien.  I guess this is what Hell must feel like for those who think that they're just passing through.