Well, I'm officially going to New York. December 13-21, 2007. Flying out of Memphis nonstop to Laguardia. $340 roundtrip.
I feel this trip will mark some sort of milestone in my life. It will mean I'm becoming cultured, I'm going places. Two years ago I went to San Francisco. Now I'm going to New York City. Growing up poor in a small Southern town, I always entertained ideas of seeing California and New York about as wholeheartedly as I pursued notions of being an astronaut or runway model. These places seemed just so foreign for me, so out of reach. Had I been asked five years ago if I ever thought I'd go either place, I'd have said no, that I never figured I'd make it to a city bigger than Memphis. And I was content with that, too. I didn't know any better. My family doesn't travel, short of a trip down Highway 61 to the casinos in Tunica, or a little further south down to Vicksburg to see the Civil War battle sites. I come from practical people, who spend their money on car insurance and new glasses, not whirlwind tours of Broadway.
When I went to college in Arkansas, my momma and daddy didn't know what to think. Neither of them had ever been there, so for them I might as well have been packing my bags for China. Three hours from home is much like going halfway across the world for people who have never lived anywhere except the same small town. Since then I've spent a summer living in New Brunswick, and now I live in Knoxville. Seems like I've become more adventurous. Here I am, forever a Mississippi expat, girding my loins and gathering my bearings to see the Big Apple.
It's an exciting time, folks.
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4 comments:
Tim - this is lovely prose. I know that sounds weird, or it's a weird comment to make, but your writing style and voice-- have you written personal narrative? I imagine you have, but have you thought about polishing it for publication? You should.
Josh,
I haven't written much personal narrative. I took a class on the topic when I was a sophomore in college, but I haven't done any since. I appreciate all your suggestions, not just on writing but on radio stations and writers and everything. Too bad I didn't ask you for advice on Halloween costumes for this party tonight. Looks like I'm going to be a zombie nerd.
Tim, when you do personal narrative, it is amazing. Truly.
Are you going to NCTE? Is that what is in NY? I know Cs is in New Orleans...
You post reminds me of what my family said when I spent the semester in London when I was an undergrad. It was not so much the money (they would have been more understanding of a car or a piece of farm equipment. Or even a nice horse), it was the idea that we were spending money on me going to live somewhere different just to live somewhere different.
A Broadway tour is *way* better than NCTE! I love well-done theater. Shoot, I am pretty tolerant of poorly done theater if I can get someone to go with me.
(I am only a bit jealous... but being happy for you outweighs my jealously).
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