Out-of-the-way settlements — found in forests and deserts, mountains and agrarian zones — naturally exist beyond interstate highways. In their locations they lack brisk commerce. An above-average number of residents depend on government for income. Driving through some of these towns creates melancholy — the places are so forlorn and drab. Our two photographs provide an opposite perspective. Any place with a thriving Mom’s Cafe at State and Main Streets still has a functioning and energetic heart. On the left in the background we can see side-by-side businesses prospering after a fashion along the central drag.

The photo below depicts the entrance to Basin Drive-In, which sits on the edge of a Mormon burg in Utah. I remember how exciting it was in the 50s and early 60s (of the 20th century) to watch a film from an automobile — with windows rolled down on a warm night to catch a breeze — or attending on a cold evening under blankets among congenial companions. I thought that entertainment had vanished like so many uncomplicated pleasures. I was wrong. The Basin screens movies on a regular schedule in the 21st century. Best and most surprising: at the grill you can enjoy vintage milkshakes, burgers freshly-patted by local butchers, and should you decide to splurge, you may add thick-sliced deep-fried onion rings to your meal.