06-23-11 - In the city

06-23-11
It's survival in the city
When you live from day to day
City streets don't have much pity
When you're down, that's where you'll stay
101.7 Miles
The Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul
Waking up in the Walmart parking lot I was a bit better for wear than I though I would be. Shaking off the cold (warmer that a tent would have been) and stretching I put my sandals back on and prepared to get the day going. I went into Walmart to use the facilities and to get a little warm breakfast for Mischa and myself.
The facilities were waiting, but the deli wouldn’t open for two hours. I asked the woman at the entrance about local places to get some sort of warm breakfast and she mentioned a few. One of the clerks doing the morning stocking had mentioned White Castle. As much as I enjoyed the exploits of Harold and Kumar I decided to pass. I used the Garmin and it mentioned a Pannera* Bread and the Caribou Coffee place I’d discovered yesterday - both had internet and I hope some sort of breakfast sandwich. This was in the late 6am hour. I worked on finishing and posting 3 days of posts; launched my Kickstarter Project (sans video - they need a video of 200mb or less, the one I have is over 750mb. I need to have some work done on it.) and realized it was almost 11:30am!
I got an egg white, turkey and bacon (and spinach) muffin and a white peach raspberry smoothie, then prepared to explore the Twin Cities..
My first destination was the offices of Senator Al Franken. I thought maybe I could get some attention for my project and the ongoing plight of the 99er’s an long term unemployed. He seemed like a good person. Amy Clobaschar too…but I wasn’t sure how to spell her name. I put the address in the Garman and followed it to an unassuming building called the Drake.
There was a Bank on the bottom floor and the rest of the floors of th 5-6 story building looked to hold offices of various types.. The Capitol building (This is in St. Paul) was many blocks north of the freeway and this was just a few blocks south in an almost industrial area. I had thought perhaps the Garmin was taking me to an outdated address again until I realized I’d entered the address in myself this morning.
I thought of going in to talk to his staff to see what interest might be generated but chickened out.
One, I‘d have to leave Mischa in the parking lot for who knows how long (I presumed a security check point)
Two, I was very rough looking .to say the least at the moment. I had at last 5 days of stubble growth and hadn’t showered in as many days. My jeans were grubby and I’d slept in my clothes in my car all night. Good first impression, ya know?!
So, yeah…I chickened out.
Next stop- the capitol building. The radio was talking about the impasse between the Governor and the Republican State congress over the budget. If an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the month the government will shut down and thousands of state workers will be put out of their jobs, even critical services. I tried to get there via the Garmin’s routing, but it wasn’t aware that most of the city streets were under construction as thy were putting in a light rail system
I finally managed to maneuver my way to the Capitol building. It is way on top of a hill with an imposing majestic presence. And the view from the park overlook beside it is also imposing and majestic…an impressive. In the park ther overlook is suspended out from the hillside. The panoramic view of the capitol, the city downtown and th Mississippi river plain out to the Wisconsin border is dynamic.
Of course, the construction down the main drag of the city is a bit of an eyesore…but eventually I’m sure it will look grand again.
There was a man clearing high weeds from the area next to the overlook. I asked him “What city am I in?” This is St. Paul.
“Where’s Minneapolis from here?”
To the west. You visiting here? Friends? Family?
I told him about the Journey I asked him about the overlook. He said that it was originally built to look at the airport.
Airport?
It’s straight down below and was sort of a focal point. Then St. John’s built a hospital there, and another couple of hospitals and buildings were build, now you can’t even see the airport anymore.
I said the view of the Capitol building was pretty spectacular. Told him what a hard time I had navigating my way here.
“Yeah, that’s the light rail they’re building.” he pointed down to the main isle of construction downtown “You can’t get there from here” he jested.
I mentioned I’d been listening to the radio about the ongoing drama with the state budget.
What will happen to you if the budget doesn’t get passed?
“I’ll be out of work…along with over 35 thousand other state workers.”
How long will that be? A month or more?
“No, I think it’ll be no more than a couple of weeks. And the timing…just before the big 4th of July weekend.”
Do you think they’ll reach an agreement?
“No. I hope they do, but I don’t think so. Not this time around“.
I asked him his name and gave him mine. Jay was a good spirited man. Liked his work and his state. Took much pride in the area. And from that vantage point, it was easy to understand.
I went to discover the next place on the list of places to see. To Minneapolis!
I was trying to find a place called “The Original Minneapolis Baseball Hall of Fame”! I’d never heard of it but it was on the Garmin, so I had to find it. There was a good deal of construction going one there too. Right where I was trying to get to. It took me around the “Hubert Humphrey -Mall of America - Metrodome”.
[C’mon folks! Isn’t it time we put a ban on letting corporations buy the name of a stadium? It should be named ofter something from the state or city or a famous native son. “The Metrodome.” “Hubert Humphrey Memorial Stadium” “Shay Stadium” “Wrigley Field”. I tell you, I turned off to Baseball in a big way the day they allowed “3-Com” to take away the name of “Candlestick Park”. It was the point of demarcation when Pro Sports league and owners decided that profit came before the sport and the fans. That these were no longer centers of civic pride, but advertising venues available to the highest bidder. The ongoing loyalties of the “Bleacher Bums” rabble was to be cast away for the corporate clowns that could afford the luxury “Sky Boxes”. “Here endeth the lecture”.]
As I drove around the stadium I noticed the Marque players featured near the ticket boxes were Adrian Petersen (understandable) and Brett Farve (?!).
I also saw two cops on horseback sauntering down the street. You don’t see horse patrol that often. I asked one of the Equine Cops if they knew where this “Baseball Hall of Fame” building was. She looked at me with what could only be call disinterest. I’d obviously interrupted a pleasant conversation with her partner. They’d never heard of it and so I went on my way. Impeding my hunt were one way streets and more road construction.. I got to a place where it said I’d past it, but via triangulation I knew I must be only a block or so way. Then I saw a sign..old chipped paint on the narrow surface of a triangulated wall that mentioned “Baseball Hall of Fame”. “Dis must be de place!”
Cutting thru a restaurant parking lot I got as close to the sign wall as I could. Construction was going on on the other side of the wall - another street: so this was probably as close as I could have gotten, by shear luck. I walked around the corner and found a sporting memorabilia store. I had low hopes for this outcome.
A clerk was dealing with a customer who was buying a Mauer jersey and complaining about how much the stadium store wanted to charge for it. He left (eventually) and the clerk turned his attention to me. I asked about the “Hall of Fame” and he said “It’s right back there - I’ll flip the light on for you” “This was where the original Baseball hall of Fame was before” I ask.
“No. This was Minnesota’s first Baseball Hall of Fame” he corrects. He leaves me to it as another customer walked in.
This is basically a back storage room. And as for “Baseball” there are more pictures of Country Western artists and actors than Baseball players at first look. The constant is a older gentleman and/or his wife in all these pictures. Mr. Crump.
When I get to the back of the storage room I start to see Baseball pictures. Framed collections of baseball cards of the Twins players thru the years. Some of these hanging on the walls are blocked by display racks and other things in storage stacked in front of them. Only when you get to the back wall does it start to look like an intentional “Wall of Fame”. Again the framed baseball cards along with signed photos. But there is also an assortment of bats and uniforms (Tony Oliva is featured in two of these) I see a card for Johnny Roseboro (One of my all time favorite Dodgers) as a Twins catcher in 1969. There is a news paper and photo salute to the 1965 world series against the Dodgers. Pictures of Sandy Kofax pitching and one with him and Harmon Killabrew together.. A headline announces “Dodgers Sweep Twins in Two”.
And at the end of the isle, a true find. “The Beatles”. Photos of the Beatles from obviously their first or second US tour with Mr. Crump sitting on a cot next to each of the Beatles separately. (What were they doing on cots and what was he doing on the cot with them?)
I go out and ask the clerk about the man in the photos.
He tells me about him. He started as a bat boy for the Washington Senators and followed them when they relocated to The Twin Cities. He worked for them in various capacities through the years and started this store. He developed a hobby of meeting celebrities when they came to town. His connection to the tema gave him easy access and over the years it lead to other fields of interest, actors and county music artists.
I asked about the Beatles. The clerk said that when the they came to town to play there was concern about ptting them up in local hotels because of all the “Beatle-mania that had followed them throughout the states and since they were playing at the Ice Hockey arena next door to the stadium they put the boys up in the visiting teams locker room. Hence the cots.
I mentioned that Mr. Crump seemed to have had and interesting and fulfilling life. The clerk agreed. “He’s my dad.” he said with a little bit of pride in the words. This is a family business. And it was obvious that doing what you love, whatever that might be, is as good a road to happiness as anything else.
http://www.domeplus.com/Museum/index.htm
I had wanted to go to a gallery called “Louvre it or Leave it”. I liked the pun but not the parking. So I took a picture of the outside of the building where it was supposed to be and moved on.
Next was to find the Stone Arch and locks
These are very old stone works along the Mississippi River in the old warehouse district. A dam on the river provided power for the factories and the locks allowed navigation of the waterways. Old Mills and breweries and factories looked down from their purchases above the river course like old vultures or guarding sentinels. A family of ducks parades by unimpressed by their austere loomings. The water is wet…ant they’re ducks. They have what they need.
And with some photo snap page, so do I.
The ducks may not have been impressed…but I was. I am only human after all.
There is a big bridge across the river…so I have to stake it. I’l also getting low on gas so I think I’ll search for that on the other side.
I’m finding a lot of BP gas stations and for what they did in the Gulf they are on permanent boycott by me…like…forever! (Hence the permanent thing.)
I drive for miles further that I wanted to. I go into a University of Minnesota neighborhood and find a wifi spot and look for cheap (Non BP) gas. It’s just a few blocks away at a Kwik Stop. I go there and there’s a Panera Bread shop nearby so I get more of my internet communications done as evening starts to set in. I’m searching all around for cheap tent camping near the twin cities. I’m trying to arrange an interview and will leave tomorrow for Northfield so I would like to stay close and have a direct line south it possible.
At the end of the day, as the saying goes, going back to Victoria was the cheapest option. So I did that.
I set up camp in the daylight and took Mischa…check that, Mischa too ME on a walk. We explored much of the local flora and fauna. At one point Mischa seemed determined to head further down further down a dark muddy pathway. I nixed that and tried to head us both towards the sunny beach area…until I saw the sign “Pets not allowed on the beach”. Well, Then, I wouldn’t go on the beach either!
I went to pay for the nights camping and stopped to fill my water jugs. After bother were filled (from a drinking fountain) I notice a funny smell and a light discoloration to the water. I sipped it. Gasoline! Are they doing “fracking” nearby? I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was ignitable. After a sip, I spit it out and emptied the contents of both jugs. I may have to go back into town 3 miles way for water!
As I got to the pay station I saw a water pump! Huzzah! I can fill up here and stay in camp.
I filled one jug. Same story. In to town I went.
I stopped at a gas station for just a little more internet work - I posted a few things and then the lights went out. At the gas station. It was suddenly 10 pm and I had never gotten in to the station to get more water.
I drove over to the local store and a man was standing next to the door in the process of closing.
“Does the whole town close at 10pm?” I asked?
“We do, but what do you need?” he asked
“Water”
“C’mon in,” he offered, “I still have a customer inside”
I never saw the other customer, but got the jug of water…and a bag of tortilla chips…I wanted to make it worth the man’s time and kindness.
I was the only one in the store and he’d delayed his getting closed and home just to help me get some water. And he seemed gracious and unrushed about it. Like he was glad to do it. Remarkable.
But only in the since that I’ve seen an absence of that in recent years, but I’ve enjoyed an abundance of it along the Journey. Remarkable in that I think that kind of kindness and consideration to a stranger is second nature to most of us at our best selves. And that we’ve been strangers to our “Better natures” for far too long.
Back at camp I’m writing in the tent, then listening to another Dresden Files book winding down to sleep.
Across the way a couple (or is it a couple of couples - hard to tell) are sitting around the fireplace drinking and talking. A male is cussing and being generally loud. (This is going to be a fun night!)
Later in the evening I hear different sounds. I think of scenes in tents from Little Big Man and Dances with Wolves.
I think of a Paul Simon song “the couple in the next room, bound to win a prize”.
I hear the man loudly ejaculate “DAMN! I meant to save that!”
Speculation could last years as to what, precisely, he was referring to.
I only cared that things were quieter after that.
I woke to a sunny day in the morning and packed up the tent to head off. I was gone around 8am.
The couple has not left the tent this morning. Sleeping in late I suppose after last nights exertions.
Just as well to avoid awkward meetings of eyes.