Random Post Office Moment

The other day I was at the post office.

Like any other day at the post office there was a bit of a line. There were two clerks. There were antsy people. There were patient people. Looked like someone at any time was going to "go postal".

The only thing that was a little different that day was a lanky black lady standing outside the post office, perhaps inebriated, and singing at the top of her lungs the hit single "Glory, glory, hallelujah!".

Now to me this was fun. This was just the kind of thing I enjoyed seeing during the day that revitalizes me and forces me to believe in humanity's constant struggle to be creative. To do something out of the ordinary.

When I arrived to the first available clerk's window I came upon a conversation between him, the other clerk, and the woman that clerk was helping. It seemed as though they were complaining about the lanky black ladie's presence. Sort of playing the role of American Idol judges they announced, "She's better than the mariachi singer they got out front of the Arts Building!" Now I, being a little on the naive side, asked, "Really? When do they perform?"

The gal being helped by the other clerk had a neo-rockabilly, trying to be different but not pulling it off, semi-pretentious look. She expressed disgust at most every comment. She replied, "I don't know, but they are all annoying."

I chimed in, "Well, it looks to me like this downtown area needs more of these antics. It might inspire street musicians, street corner dime stores, music venues, etc. This downtown is utterly lacking creativity!" Downtown Modesto, CA is a place where you can drink some watered down cocktails in a seedy night club, and then walk to another bar, and then another bar, and then another bar. Don't get me wrong there are more than a few places to see live music. Most of them are incredibly overpriced versions of the "Hollywood elite" and don't provide much more than the basic top 40 noise that everyone is used to loving by now.

She replied, "I'd rather have the art studios, coffee shops, and music venues than these bums on the street!"

I was immediately transported to the one visit I had to Austin's City Limits. There they not only nurtured street musicians, but they gave them homes. Austin probably got weird because there were tons of weird people around. I don't think they started building music venues and then started booking shows for unique music concepts that the bar owners "discovered". The Woman's attitude in the Post office made me realize that the apparent laziness of society is what has stunted growth in every realm of this world out and out.

Seems like our current generation wants the skate parks, music venues, and coffee shops just to sprout up. GIMME GIMME GIMME! Instead of working there way out of a society driven need for the these places of play. PARTICIPATE INVENT CREATE!