In small towns you can get help from complete strangers. And people do business on the “honor” system so all you need is your word.
We bought our home on a handshake. We had to wait over a year to close because of the two year rule regarding taxes. When the time came to consummate the deal, everything went as expected.
The honor system is true. I used to go buy gum and candy (and cigarettes for my mom), and only sign an IOU slip. They sent my dad a bill at the end of the month.