A long time ago, in a land far away . . .
There was a small town in the middle of the country. The town was made up of many different people and disparate groups. But once a week, the people of the town got together at the Town Common to discuss issues, socialize and otherwise enjoy the company of the other townsfolk.
Some of the townsfolk, however, did not like going to the Town Common. Situated, as it was, in the center of town, these folks found that the Common was simply too far from their homes or their own neighborhoods. Instead, they started meeting within their neighborhoods to discuss issues, socialize and otherwise enjoy the company of their neighbors. They called their neighborhood centers the Town Different.
The town center emptied and in time, the Town Common fell to disrepair from lack of use. The town was no longer one and fell apart.
When people go to the Different instead of the Common, the center cannot hold. It falls to disrepair from lack of use and the community is no longer one. The community falls apart.
(Previously published in A Collection of Monkeys (2018))