Ok, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been a little, well, AWOL on my GNV beat of late.
Start with the fact that I spent much of the month of May embarked on The Great American Rail Trail Expedition from D.C. To The Mississippi River.
Which, I’m not ashamed to admit, took a bite and a half out of my 75-year-old body before it was all over.
Causing me to, um, regroup and recuperate in what the Brits used to call “splendid isolation.”
But today I finally shook myself out of my splendid isolation and resolved to, um, test the GNV waters once again. So I took a little 10-mile spin around my old, familiar GNV stomping grounds to see if I’d missed anything.
Arriving at Depot Park I noticed a rather tense standoff between a gaggle of turtles and a supine gator. Neither side seemingly inclined to cede an inch to the other.
Eventually an inquisitive avian stepped in. The suspense was killing me.
No, actually, it was kind of like watching pant dry. So I decamped to the 4th Ave. food court.
Where I contemplated some of mankind’s great answered questions. Like, what’s the deal with all those dangling padlocks?
Eventually I got tired of being gawked at. So I moved on.
I cruised through downtown.
And ended up at the Kava Gator Coffee Shop on the Bo Diddley Plaza.
Where I had a very nice pot of jasmine tea thank you very much. Having been assured that they take their tea very seriously at Kava Gator. (And who am I to argue with them?)
After which I moved on to Grove Street. Where I pondered perhaps the greatest unanswered question of the ages: What would the plains people have made of air conditioning anyway?
But never mind that. I also noticed that the old Walker Furniture building at Main and 8th has taken on a whole new look.
Listen, I knew Ledger Walker. He ran a pretty tight ship, furniture store wise.
And I’m pretty sure Ledger would be spinning in his grave if he knew what had become of his furniture empire. Seriously, otters in space? What’s up with that?
But one can only ponder the imponderables for so long before one grows, you know, thirsty. So I resolved to perambulate myself on to C&G.
Where a Latino combo was entertaining the usual Monday farmer’s market crowd. Which is where I finally relaxed in the knowledge that I was, indeed, home again.
Seriously. Is this a great town or what? It’s great to be back.
FreeGNV 