20 Aug 2008

it would seem All Things Come to an End in Time

We’re in Virginia now, and I, for one, am totally exhausted. But I felt you all deserved one more little entry from JPC before the trip came to an end.

I know, you’re thinking, “little”? can Jeff really restrict himself to a “little” entry? has he gone mad? is there nothing exciting left to talk about anymore? or is he just plain lying?

no, no. I’d love to write another novella for you all, but I just don’t have the energy right now. So without further ado:

St. Louis. A very important city to America, it has now shrunk down in size and population. It’s like having an extra, extra, extra large shirt and pants and trying to make the clothes fit a slim athlete like Michael Phelps—the clothes don’t fit the person and the city feels empty. But there is a lot to do in this all-American city, and a lot of it costs only time and gas, no entry fee, to visit. I’d highly recommend seeing the monumental Arch. (it commemorates America’s westward expansion, but for us road trippers, it marked our re-entry East.) Any visitor to St. Louis must also check out the very unique City Museum. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen or experienced. At several points, wandering around in it, I felt like we were on drugs. Other times, I felt wholly like a kid again. The place was dangerous, thrilling, hilarious, and memorable. It is also entirely composed of materials from the city no longer in use. And this maze of a “museum” has no map and only two rules: no running, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Checking out the website might help you make sense of the place (www.citymuseum.org/), but I’m still wondering what I was doing there and how I ever got out.

And last evening, we watched the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

During our stay in the city, a professor-friend of mine very kindly let us stay with her and her husband in their home. (More on that later because I’m running out of battery power.)

As for today, we were on the road (again), driving through six states, stopping only twice (for gas and for dinner in Huntington, WV). We had good conversation, and we’ve both decidedly accepted our Americanism, with a distinctively Northeastern middle-class flavor.

Now, good night.