Recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that in the past year, Mount Pleasant’s population actually fell by about 500 down to 95,469. That’s a significant change because Mount Pleasant had been consistently gaining residents year in and year out. What’s changed? Here are a few ideas:
Nextdoor members have run out of contractors and restaurants to whine about. It only takes about three comments to devolve into the usual “what a moron you are” or “what the hell, let kids be kids” personal comments.
The traffic is stopped dead on 17 most afternoons. It is always blamed on Yankees relocating to Charleston as if those flatbeds with the jet-sounding exhaust were imported from north of the Mason Dixon line. I think not.
Entrees priced below $35 have disappeared off menus across the town. Taking the entire family out for Mom’s birthday now requires you borrow against your IRA (or take out a second mortgage).
Publix and Harris Teeter have somehow figured out how to roast chickens while leaving the skin only slightly discolored. Sitting in soggy cardboard containers for hours helps remove whatever little color the skin might have achieved.
Stop lights and stop signs are considered by the majority of drivers to be only suggestions.
Your neighborhood streets have been overrun by kids on various types of ebikes, scooters, motorbikes - never traveling at less than about 30 mph - giving heart failure to anyone about to step out onto the sidewalk or walk their dogs in peace.
Costco moved their self-checkout counters to the single hardest place to reach in the store. And god forbid you are walking on pavement in front of an oncoming car that has just spotted an open parking space.
It doesn’t matter the month, week or day, your southbound trip on 17 will always be interrupted by an “event” at Boone Hall. While your instinct is to ignore the cops and plow into the side of the turning vehicle, you only stop because there are probably kids inside.
After the third person in two hours tells you to have a “Blessed day!” you are convinced the end of times is near and you worry that you won’t be among those slated for “resurrection.”
MPPD decides to lower the speed limit coming off the Ravenel Bridge (where you can safely hit 60 or 65 mph) to 25, tripling the number of tickets they issue each “sting operation.”
Regal Palmetto Grande raises prices to $14 a head for the privilege of sitting and listening to others converse as loudly as if they were in their own living rooms. Popcorn is utterly unaffordable.
The notion that “the beaches” are only 10 minutes away is only valid on Tuesday. Offseason. Between 10 am and 1 pm. When it is overcast.
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This commentary represents the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily the opinion of Holy City Sinner. If you'd like to submit your own opinion piece for publishing consideration, e-mail christian@holycitysinner.com.
