Living in Small Town America

This morning, Trini and I went for a walk downtown. She is up for going anywhere, and so I chose to walk down toward the sun-and you can see the river over the flood wall. Seeing the renovation of the Broadway Corridor and all the little businesses give me such an appreciation for what the town is trying to do-improve an area that was forgotten. 

Downtown has a lot of broken down buildings, closed restaurants and merchants. There is a lot left to be done. Bringing in a casino was only the beginning, Cape Girardeau needs investors and people to run new restaurants and businesses. So how does that happen? I don't know the answers, but I want to see this town succeed. 

I watched the town my mother grew up in die. It was tiny, but still, when you see your church shut down, it breaks your heart. The gas station I spent summers getting a coke from, and ate burgers there in high school-it burned down a few years ago. There's no grocery store and and I found out recently that my grandmother's house is gone, as Miranda says "the house that built me". 

I digress. 

This small town still has life. And it's really not that small, there is a major university here. Well, at least I think it's major. Eleven thousand students is nothing to scoff at, and my walk this morning confirms that there is a spirit of America here. Want to see?

It's a nice place. And as for the truly American feel?  Well, here it is...

Yeah. That's a deer. Riding a bike. In a wedding gown. 

Small towns can be fun, too. 

"Keep Cape Weird"? Well, not as catchy as the original Austin phrase, but it will do.