If you're from Washington-Wilkes, you'll know these simple things to be true:

1. Your teachers taught your parents, or older siblings.

2. Half of the county doesn't swim in the community pool.

3. The high school and middle school coexist in the same building. Getting to seeyour friends from the other side is like a dog getting a belly rub. You would secretly wave or whisper something corny to them.

4. If you saw Mrs. Anderson was going to be your substitute, you immediately thought of ways to get you sent home, or to skip the class.

5. No matter how old you are, you will go to graduation and senior walk at prom every year just to get out of the house,

6. There are four decent places to eat in town La Cabana, Zaxbys, Subway, and Big Chick.

7. Nothing good happens after 10 PM.

8. You know everybody on a first name basis, what car they drive, or the tag on the front, and especially how loud their muffler is.

9. Everybody's business, but your own.

10. You can almost time when the few red lights in town will change.

11. An unexpected death from somebody makes you realize how much they were loved and how close the community is.

12. BeeSouthern is the go-to place for all birthday presents.

13. Uptown Nails is the place to go, and they are always busy.

14. Tena's is the place every girl loves to go for everything Vera Bradley and jewelry.

15. If you get in trouble in school, your mama will know before you get home, and she will ne waiting at the door with a belt.

16. Ag classes are the only reason you go to school most days.

17. Lincoln County vs. Washington-Wilkes, the one week of the year a high school football game takes precedence over everything else in two communities since 1922.

18. Check ancestry before you date...everybody is related somehow.

19. Your senior class painted the rock with pride.

20. If you want to go shopping at a decent place, or Walmart, you have to drive to Athens or Augusta.

21. You will forever bleed blue and gold.