Who's a local?

Time after time, we hear people taking about how long you have to be living in or around (notice I included the "doughnut" folks) Whitefish to be considered a "local."

I was passing out some fliers about the pottery to a bed and breakfast here in town (what seems like ages ago) and she asked me who I was. I replied, "My name is Tom, I'm the owner of Whitefish Pottery and I'm a local."

She said, "Oh no, you have to be living here for five years to be called a local." I remember when the day came around and I had been living here for five years and I said to myself, "Hey, I guess this makes me a local now."

On the other hand, some folks say you have to be living here for 10 years. After 10 years go by, at least you know who the past mayors were, what the town council has passed and forgotten about and then discussed again, businesses that have closed, and who has been sleeping with who around town, etc. (I believe this is closer to the truth than just five years.) I have been here for almost 14 years now.

I was involved in a conversation the other night with another "local." We were talking about how things around Whitefish have changed. I started to describe a particular situation, and he replied, "You mean back in the day." Wow I thought, hmm, this finally puts the discussion to rest.

Whether you feel 5 or 10 years makes a difference, don't worry. If you ever find yourself wondering if you've been here long enough to be considered a real local, remember to think of this — no matter how long you have actually been living here, you are a local if you can describe Whitefish by starting a conversation with "back in the day."

Tom Gilfillan

Whitefish