“It’s not sad because it’s true.” Esteban Montejo.
So like many cities in Michigan, my hometown of Muskegon runs on the brewery economic recovery model (and I really think you should have to take a test before you’re given a micro brewery licence…but that’s beside the point and a whole different story)…and I was done with my daily meditation at the library…where I walk back and forth up in the second floor to the Imperial March song (insert empire soundtrack after this post) and read a couple of books each week. This week I’m reading about a run away slave in Cuba who lived to 105 and the auto-biography of Lenin (1930) that was edited by his wife. I was done printing out some proofs and observing the sun set through stain glass, and after they closed I needed a cup of joe to do some more reading. They’ve developed this area of downtown…really looks pretty nice but that’s another story too…and I walked inside of the (it was 7:30pm on a Tuesday) brewery/coffee shop and said, “I’d like a cup of coffee (I don’t drink when I’m working) and the lady said, “we don’t have coffee”. “I thought you were a coffee shop.” “We are, but we’re not ready for the late night coffee crowd yet”. To which I said…. “well I guess I’m getting drunk then…but trust me…I can get real drunk off this stuff fast…” That’s it…and the reason for this story is because I created a new tradition in Shitville. Every time I walk by the Buster Keaton (with hand rolled camera) statue…I give it the middle finger. I think it’s going to catch on around the “Coast West” of Michigan #lol4life.
(P.S. I like my hometown for much of what it is, the lakes and the post war relics are amazing, but the youth culture at times leave much to be desired….for me.)
Adventures In American Writing 