An interesting point was made the other day by an observer of life.

The “Observer” as we shall call them to protect their anonymity asked if we had ever noticed the sounds of the city and country ­— although the same — are different.

Okay. The “Observer” must have had too many sips of that corn whiskey that’s brewed in the barn behind stall No. 5 or hallucinating after breathing in too much manure dust .
How can a sound be from the same thing, yet be different?

In the country, you’ll hear the breeze rustling through the leaves, with the sounds of songbirds in the background (or the odd moo).

In the city, you’ll hear the sound of the breeze rustling through the leaves along with the sound of someone’s car stereo blasting, the neighbour yelling at someone down the street and the sounds of sirens responding to what could be gunshots.

In the country, you’ll hear the sound of a mosquito or bee and a person saying, “not as bad as they were three years ago when the skeeters carried off the cat.”

In the city, you’ll hear the sound of a mosquito followed by someone calling city hall to have the spray trucks out or the protestors who fear for the life of the poor mosquitos if we spray.

In the country, you’ll hear the sound of neighbours yelling “hi” as they pass each other.

In the city, you’ll hear neighbours yelling at each other, “stop parking your vehicle in front of my house or I’ll call the cops”

In the country, that sound of an airplane is a crop duster working the field.

In the city, that sound is… oops, there is no airplane sound at the Brandon airport. Well, maybe Brandonites could stand along a farmers field if they want to hear an airplane.

In the country, you’ll hear, “nice night sky... look at the stars... there’s another planet.”

In the city, you’ll hear, “I’m not paying 15 bucks to get into the observatory to stare at something in the sky.”

In the country, you’ll hear ‘ a gang of us got together and went four wheeling’.

In the city, you’ll hear, “a gang got busted after stealing a 4 X 4.”

In the country, you’ll hear the sound of a tractor working the fields.

In the city, you’ll hear the sounds of a tractor digging up another street, which is usually followed by the sounds of angry motorists.

In the country, you’ll hear, “we’re going to he dump’ and they do.

In the city, you’ll hear, “we’re going to the dump” and they drop heir garbage off along the riverbank or in a convenient empty lot.

In the country you’ll hear, “ nice see you” and they smile and shake your hand.

In the city, you’ll hear, “nice to see you’ as they smile and wonder why would anyone want to live in the country.