Elkins, WV

Being comprised of only three sq. miles and with a total population of just over 7,000 people Elkins WV is what you would rightly call a small town. The weather is pleasant, if not a little wet, and the land is fertile. With the exception of the highway running through town the streets are nearly always empty and the neighborhood park is nearly always full. Walking downtown you will find a few bars, and diners, barbers, arts and craft stores. The locals evidently have a passion for reading, especially the bible. There are two small book stores downtown, one of course is dedicated to Christian reading. The other, though somewhat lacking in footage is densely packed with the essentials of literature, classical and modern.

My visit to the library with my niece and nephew could tell many tales. I have got it into my mind to read "The Princess Bride". Almost 6 months ago I was at a Big E's open mic when I heard an excerpt read aloud. It was so artfully done that I vowed to read the entire book out loud my self. Walking into the Elkins Library I found a computer to look up "The Princess Bride". They only had the movie. Looking around I decided that I could look at each book individually without much time spent and was set upon that task. I didn't get past 001.47 when Riley found "Guinness Book Of World Records". After a few minutes I asked Nevada to ask the pretty girl trying to study if we were being to loud. We were not of course but it was an excuse to direct her attention towards me and make eye contact. After Nevada's friends came and distracted the kids I browsed the shelves. I am sure they had every bible ever printed and the Christian section made up about half of the wall. Before I had made it out I was close enough to start an off hand conversation with Lizzy. Christy came in to grab the kid's for soccer practice right when I was getting to The Big Question. "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior?" I asked. "With that we will be leaving" Kristy said. "umm... uhh..." stumbled Lizzy. She was living just out of town studying marmots and was in town using the internet. I don't know the first thing about marmots so I asked her where she was from. "I just drove through Indiana a few days ago" I said "the whole place kinda smells." "It's know for agriculture I guess". I guess. She invited me to hang out some time. Her and her friends entertain themselves with movie marathons, beer and bon fires.
When I got home Christy seemed so excited to tell Jack her end of the story. "I found Daniel and the kids in the library. Somehow he had found the only beautiful girl in Elkins. Guess what he said right when I arrived!" "You have to get these things right out into the open in a small town like this" I defended myself.
Lunch today brought Jack, Christy, and I to the Kistle Stop. A small coffee and sandwich shop. Mom's house not closing was the topic of conversation. We don't know exactly what this will mean but it may be a big hassle for many people. Three young kids walked in. Their attire lay on an interesting crossroads between California and WV. I couldn't help but to look at the short shorts and low top, the body underneath was well formed and trim. The look tried to speak to Miami or LA, but I think it said something about a trailer instead.   

I wonder if it makes me a jerk that I say things like that?   I wonder if people are just way to serious about everything.   I make fun of everything.  Of course when dealing with a retard I am not going to make fun of him to him (usually) but to my friends I will probably slap myself and make funny noises...   I guess I don't make fun of people, I make fun of stereotypes.   Like the snotty french, dumb americans, trailer trash, rich kids, hippies, new agers, buddhists, christians, scholars, and politicians.   I think stereotypes are important human constructs but if I don't constantly make fun of them I might take them seriously.   God forbid.

Really when it comes down to it I quite liked Elkins.   The atmosphere was comfortable and unassuming.   The contrast between what I have seen of West Virginia and the stereotype is striking.   In the little town of Thomas I saw two things that kinda blew me away.   The first was a billboard about world prayer that featured pictures of hindus, buddhist, jewish, christian, muslims all praying.   The second sign of radical progressiveness was the "karma soup" in the Purple Fiddle.   There is a sign that say's that if your hungry and have no money you should discreetly ask for the karma soup and you will be provided with a meal at no cost.   "That's the kind of world I want to live in" said Rob, Jacks good friend.

Rob is a west coaster who is living in DC trying to straighten out the politics of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).   He is a large sort of lumbering looking guy.   Maybe he isn't lumbering, but when he is talking about the 10 years he lived in Japan and making fun of americans he does a great lumber.   Jack, Rob and I spend most of our conversations examining the american culture and comparing it to other places.   I have developed  a great appreciation for americanism since coming back from Thailand.   I swing between great hope for the future and complete despair.   One of the great questions of my future will be where I will raise my children.   I am so afraid of what could happen in the US if the government got a wild hair up there ass and I am so saddened by mainstream consumer culture.   Seeing the interdependence of the dense web of fear, ignorance, production, consumerism, comfort seeking, bureaucracy, corporate lobbying, ect.   How could thing's possibly improve without starting over?   Maybe I will go to asia and breed into their culture?   I think they have more winning strategies for a dense interconnected world.   At the same time I love the American cult of the personality, the optimism, the opportunism.

Now I am in Washington DC, apropriatly enough.   I like the city, but I will probably only be here for the night.