Before retirement, I frequently traveled for work and recreation. I visited many large towns and small cities. Too many times I have woken up in the morning, groggy from lack of sleep, and when starting off from my hotel to wherever, I would have a moment of confusion. What I saw down the road was so familiar − the McDonalds, the Burger Kings, Walmart, Rite-Aid, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Costco, and Dollar General.

I’d ask myself, “Where am I, which town? Think back, what airport did I arrive to? Oh yeah, I remember; turn right."

I picked up a term to explain my moments of perplexity − Generica America.

But, is this really a dilemma?

Familiarity is a source of comfort for most people and, I must admit, I was always comfortable in each of the places. So when I read that the old house from a different time period on Boston Post Road in East Lyme may be replaced by a comforting box store, I could only cheer. Go East Lyme, get more box stores and familiar franchises! Become comfort central for southeastern Connecticut. Box stores supply us with the comforting experience of shopping, that immediately satisfying feeling of consumption that even Amazon can’t quite fulfill.

R. Byrne

Lyme