Monday, March 16, 2009
You CAN'T ever go home anymore
I'm sitting at a Panera bakery/cafe at the moment. The spot where the Panera is, now, was, in my youth a sprawling lumberyard. Across the street, what used to "Houlton's Texaco, is now a Walgreen's. The Village Inn Pancake House (my first hourly wage job was there--I was the best fucking busboy in the WORLD!!) is still a block or so from here. But I found out a while back, from one of my brothers that the building, after numerous renovations was actually torn down and replaced a few years back. Omaha keeps molting like a damned lobster, shedding the old for the questionable new.
You really can't go home, anymore; 'cause home ain't there. It's not enough that they've widened streets, moved whole neighborhoods and stopped selling beer at a reasonable price (.25/10 oz "draw"). I go into the bars I used to hang out in 35 years ago and all I see are a bunch of old farts--I wonder where my classmates went?
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11 comments:
I understand totally. I can hardly drive through Stockton any more. The Polly Parrot shoe store, the Fox theatre, Centr-O-Mart, Ko's Chinese Kitchen, the Motor Movies drive-in, all gone.
The people who bought my parent's home--the house where my folks raised all us kids--demolished it and built another house on the property. The sense of loss was almost like losing my folks again. The house is still there on Google Earth, though, so I can go look at it from time to time, and I'll never update my Google Earth....
Put me down for about $5.00 of them 10 ouncers. Thanks!
Good riddance, I say.
Podunk was Godless then, before we opened the gravel pit and realized our fist-sized stone bonanza.
Now the citizens know better than to shop on the Sabbath, and most stores have moved along.
Just in time, too, as the New Economy means we'll be having to grow food in empty parking lots from now on.
Demo, great to talk to you yesterday. I forgot to say Happy St. Pats! At least the balmy Chicago weather treated you right.
'commie, You're starting to sound like an ole fart now, too busy looking back to see where you're going. Bemoaning the progress of turning main street into an unending stream of fast food, quick stop service stations and pawn shops. What is it, anyway, with old people's fixation with the past? I don't even want to go there or home, makes me think about things I'd rather just forget, everyone else has anyway.
I kind of see myself like Obama, looking forward, not dwelling on the past and you know obsolete shit like "justice" and "no man above the "law." It's time we focused on saving the talent that made this country what it is today, we should start with the financial products division of AIG and get these people the rewards they deserve before they just pack up and leave for lack of appreciation, we need to focus on the future and not so much the past. It's a quagmire and bringing me down and I'd rather look forward to more fast food, there is real potential there.
Brother Knowdoubt:
I agree, in part. Thing is; fast food in, fast food out--knowudimean?
Them AIGeniuses are feelin' the unlove at the moment, but I'm sure they'll all land on their feet and have another chance to follow the LORD'S dictum, "HE helps they as helps theyselves!"
democommie
I feel your pain, demo. There's a Panera newly installed up the street from me, where once there was a race track and a half mile of gorgeous old oak trees, all in a row.
Red Demo IS an old fart, brother Knowdoubt.
Actually, when I drive to visit family in NC, the Panera in Johnson City TN has the only restroom worth visiting in a thousand miles. And Green tea. So I have given Panera a pass.
We will need to be getting used to Main St. again, once peak oil kicks in and we have to bicycle to shop.
Or go to North Carolina.
Rev. Jerry Gloryhole:
I like Panera, I just wish they were the ONLY place selling coffee and not one of six in a four block stretch.
What I usually do is google the names of various rest stops, choke'n'pukes and convenience stores along my route and call them up a few hours before my intended arrival to let them know that I'm the NEW director of (city, county, state) Health Dept. and will be visiting them in a short while. Voyla, as the frenchmen say in France; une shithouse resplendant!
word verification = avogie, is that french for old fogie?
Well, isn't this exciting.
We're off to Florida tomorrow, somehow, so if I don't make it back just wanted to say it's been a gas riding the tubes with ya, and Dave, and the Seattles, and Brother K-doubt, and all that.
I leave with my pitchfork shiny and sharp, in case.
Wonder if they'll check my bag with the special care they did last time...mine was the only bag pulled aside for extra Homeland Security consideration out of three flights arriving the same time.
I was so very proud.
Hoka He!
Rev. Jerry Gloryhole:
Please win some souls for CHRIST or at least hit the Trifecta at Hialeah. Safe travels!!
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