Wilsonville

I traveled to Wilsonville, OR last week. You might begin to notice that I describe many things as "eerie", perhaps I am easily spooked, or perhaps I have a keen nose for things that do not seem right. Perhaps those are both the same thing. Regardless, Wilsonville was eerie. I was hungry and stopped by a Mcdonald's as I came into town. Nothing was strange about the restaurant itself but it was in a large strip mall with stores and other restaurants. There was not only this strip mall, but others everywhere I could see. Not eerie in itself but everything was brand new. Ok, fine. I drove around town trying to find the company, I for some reason had only written down the address and not the directions. I stopped for directions at the local post office, which was also brand new. I also drove by the police station which was a storefront in yet another strip mall, as if you could buy a cop if you needed one. (of course in this town you wouldn't need one...ever) I found the company and their building was brand new, and smelled like fresh carpet. Hmm, starting to get eerie. I found a different way to the interstate, passing yet again strip malls with new stores and brand new landscaping. This is when the eerie-ness of the place struck me, it was as if the entire town had the new-car smell. I could picture someone driving down I-5 for a weeks vacation in california and driving by nothing but fields, and driving north again to pass a fully developed community of happy consumers. I had visions of the Truman Show and Stepford Wives, and any other movie that has the same themes and feelings as the Truman Show and Stepford Wives. I don't want that job.