Dispatch from the Heartland, Part I
So, Dear Readers, here I am, back in Council Bluffs, doing time on Grandview Avenue.
The flight to Denver was atrocious, but that’s nothing new: I was in the center seat next to two humorless young people who acted like the AA wagon should be waiting at the gate when I ordered a glass of wine (and everyone sneers at me for flying first class), the Denver airport is the definition of soulless, and – as usual – the people flying to Omaha were particularly unattractive.
Council Bluffs is as bland and impoverished as ever. Everyone has dirty cars, all the snow is grey, it’s cold as hell, and the radio has four flavors: Christian, Rap, “Oldies” and Country. THANK GOD I bought the satellite radio with me, or I’d be sticking my head in the oven.
Speaking of my head, I had my hair done yesterday at a barber shop down on Main Street, so now I look like all the natives (just 75 pounds lighter). Like most of this town, the barber shop is high camp without realizing it: Lots of bad 70’s paneling, gold-veined mirrors and vaguely Mediterranean plaster statuary.
On a positive note, the thrift shops are as fabulous as they ever were, and there are even more bars downtown than there were in December!!! I found a handle for the Fryer, and a turquoise princess phone for only $2.00! I also saw a can opener by a brand I’ve never heard of called “Magic Hostess”, which is just too good not to buy.
Mom is doing pretty good, all things considered. She’s not quite bald as a cueball, but close, and she has a good sense of humor about it. She’s mostly just really tired and terribly bored. But that describes most of the people in this town.
The man from Orkin came and Mom got into a discussion with him about how stupid the war is, and how terrible the president is. The Orkin guy was a big Republican, and tried to defend Bush, but she shut it down pretty quick by asking him how many people he had "over there". That's the nice thing about being old - you can say whatever you want.
I’ve been cooking up a storm (meatloaf last night and pot roast tonight) so everyone is eating well. There’s a new grocery store out by the mall that actually carries good quality products and has quite an extensive wine department.
Tomorrow I have a jolly adventure in Omaha (taking the car to get serviced) and it’s expected to be a balmy 14 degrees! I’ll keep you posted.
The flight to Denver was atrocious, but that’s nothing new: I was in the center seat next to two humorless young people who acted like the AA wagon should be waiting at the gate when I ordered a glass of wine (and everyone sneers at me for flying first class), the Denver airport is the definition of soulless, and – as usual – the people flying to Omaha were particularly unattractive.
Council Bluffs is as bland and impoverished as ever. Everyone has dirty cars, all the snow is grey, it’s cold as hell, and the radio has four flavors: Christian, Rap, “Oldies” and Country. THANK GOD I bought the satellite radio with me, or I’d be sticking my head in the oven.
Speaking of my head, I had my hair done yesterday at a barber shop down on Main Street, so now I look like all the natives (just 75 pounds lighter). Like most of this town, the barber shop is high camp without realizing it: Lots of bad 70’s paneling, gold-veined mirrors and vaguely Mediterranean plaster statuary.
On a positive note, the thrift shops are as fabulous as they ever were, and there are even more bars downtown than there were in December!!! I found a handle for the Fryer, and a turquoise princess phone for only $2.00! I also saw a can opener by a brand I’ve never heard of called “Magic Hostess”, which is just too good not to buy.
Mom is doing pretty good, all things considered. She’s not quite bald as a cueball, but close, and she has a good sense of humor about it. She’s mostly just really tired and terribly bored. But that describes most of the people in this town.
The man from Orkin came and Mom got into a discussion with him about how stupid the war is, and how terrible the president is. The Orkin guy was a big Republican, and tried to defend Bush, but she shut it down pretty quick by asking him how many people he had "over there". That's the nice thing about being old - you can say whatever you want.
I’ve been cooking up a storm (meatloaf last night and pot roast tonight) so everyone is eating well. There’s a new grocery store out by the mall that actually carries good quality products and has quite an extensive wine department.
Tomorrow I have a jolly adventure in Omaha (taking the car to get serviced) and it’s expected to be a balmy 14 degrees! I’ll keep you posted.
posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay @ Wednesday, February 07, 2007
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