Oh...the city life!

February 8, 2011

I sometimes wonder if I was in Kansas for too long.  In the short time that I've been back in St. Louis, I have somewhat felt like a nomad.  Roaming the streets in no particular fashion.  Braving the traffic elements.  Finding my place amongst the madness.  And all the while becoming more curious about the St. Louis populace.

After living in the stillness and everyday similarities of Kansas, it has become even more apparent to me now how diverse people really are in big metropolitan areas.  I look back on my previous times here and don't know how I was able to overlook that.  Around one corner you see a homeless person, briskly delving into a trash can to find that one bottle of Jack Daniels to claim happiness with.  On the next block, you might find a spikey blue-haired gothic dude with earrings in every orifice but his ears.

Then there's my absolute favorite...the guy in my apartment complex that seems to love to crow like a rooster.  Every single morning, like clockwork, I hear an echo in the distance of an animal that you would more typically find in Kansas, and not in the next apartment building over in the St. Louis area!  Now for all I know it could be some kind of new type of alarm clock thing that I missed out on knowing about because I lived in Kansas for three and a half years.  (Kansans are still about 25 years behind on any new technology or gadgets.)  And the irony of it all, he/it crows continuously for about 20 minutes or so, long enough for someone to "hit snooze," if you will.  In the meantime, I guess I'll keep going on about my day as if this is some normal occurance that I should just write off.

I've got to say, in Kansas, most people to me seemed a little "out there."  Maybe it was just their slow pace with everything that killed my tolerance level.  It took almost my entire tenure there, but I finally realized why THEY seem to value their slower tendencies.  (The cows seem to love it too.)  The city provides too much for them to think about and handle.  They are simple people who would rather spend their time at the local cafe, talking about the latest weather reports over their java cup.  City dwellers are used to the complexities, opportunities, and multi-tasking requirements of everyday life.  (You have to be focused on five different directions while driving to make sure no one hits you on the highway!)  Country people talk, walk, think, work, and drive SLOW.  After all, what is there to rush around for...they have time on their side and their cup of coffee.  With all the diversities of the city life though, I couldn't help but wonder...is it the "madness" of the city that makes some people go "mad in the head?"  Or are the small-towners the "normal" ones?