Today, the whole family attended a book reading by a local boy done good. He’s from here, but he moved to Brooklyn and now he has a published children’s book. He performed the reading at a locally-owned bookstore.
At the reading, there was good food and plenty of drink — ranging from water and lemonade for the kids to beer and wine for the adults.
Afterward, we lazily roamed the bookstore and I bought a Willie Morris book, my reading of which is long overdue. I relate all this because in that space and in that time, I felt like I was not in Mississippi. And that makes me happy.
Don’t get me wrong. Mississippi has plenty of positive attributes. Actually, this is not a blog post on how great or terrible Mississippi is, so let’s stay clear of that. It’s more of a blog post on a state of mind.
For folks like me — classically liberal, not necessarily politically liberal — Mississippi wears on you. Down here, we change slowly. Down here, where so much and so many have for so long depended on agriculture and hard labor, the finer things in life are not as valued. Despite the vast array of writers we have produced, “book learnin'” is still somewhat of a snobby thing. Intellectualism is something that’s met with skepticism if not down right hostility.
Generally speaking — and I recognize there are plenty of exceptions — if it’s not white, Baptist, and Republican, then it can’t be trusted. I’m white, but not Baptist or Republican. Therefore, my skin color is a ticket that allows me into conversations that I find I don’t want to be in.
It is assumed that because I’m white, we can deride all things black or Hispanic, all things not Republican, all things not consistent with a strict Evangelical doctrine. Most times I keep my mouth shut. Other times I politely dissent. But in all cases, it wears me out.
So, back to the bookstore. It’s not a chain, so the selection is eclectic. The staff is a smattering of like-minded souls. And while I’m there, I can fantasize that I’m somewhere else, perhaps the Village in New York or Berkeley or some other metropolitan area where maybe I’m the most conservative guy in the room. I like that feeling. It makes me happy.
I don’t know if this will make you feel better or not, but I live about 45 minutes from Manhattan in a middle class suburb and ironically, it’s white, Catholic and Republican without a lot of open-mindedness or sophistication. And I too, dream of living in Manhattan or somewhere more liberal. You are not alone. At least on line, open-minded folks can connect!!
Theresa, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Please don’t be a stranger. It’s always nice to hear from like-minded people. Of course, the great thing about where you live is that in 45 minutes you can be in Manhattan. In that same 45 minutes, I, on the other hand, would be in towns (a cotton field would be more accurate) that “don’t take too kindly to my kind of people.” :) It is what it is and I handle it as philosophically as I can.
Which is why I moved.
However, it’s your community and home, and there’s something to be said for that.
What is there to be said about that??? I kid. Good to hear from you, Marty.
I just read the latest post on your blog. It’s an interesting read and I highly recommend it. I, too, support community schools. But I think the thing we’d have to watch out for is the return of separate and unequal.
Excellent observation. I wonder if that’s why I, too, always enjoyed my visits to bookstores such as the one you describe. Without a word being said, I always feel like I’m among kindred spirits in such establishments. I’m ashamed to admit, by the way, that I’ve never read anything by Willie Morris. I suppose I should remedy that soon.
Publius! Where have you been keeping yourself? Of course, thanks to facebook I know the answer to that.
I confess to never having read much of Willie Morris. I’m now reading his seminal work North Toward Home. I’m only on page 10, but I’m hooked.
Most times I keep my mouth shut. Other times I politely dissent. But in all cases, it wears me out.
I know exactly what you mean. I am so tired of similar conversations here, I have stopped reacting. I keep quiet, and take the first chance to move away. It hasn’t helped my social life any, I can tell you that!
Quirky Indian
TDW, North Toward Home is great and I may read it again. It’s been a few years. I repeated “The Courting of Marcus Dupree” last year and it was better the second time around–I’m slightly less clueless than when I first read Willie in the day.
As for your post, excuse me for a minute while I sigh, ok, that’s better.
I was at a semi-rural courthouse today, not backwoods by any means, and the conversation I heard just reminded me that it is you I who live in a different world, a much, much less populated one, from the majority of our fellow magnolia-staters. Great blog fodder, tune in tomorrow for the recap, but depressing. Religion, current events, China, the environment….and this was just in one two minute exchange. An old white lady and a middle aged black man, speaking companionably, forthrightly, parochially, unbearably. I stopped and took notes surreptitiously, a word that beyond question they would both be pleased to see me jailed for using.
DW – good write today. I’ve lived alot of places and you will find that you would feel that way no matter where you go. When I lived in California just saying you were from Mississippi made you feel like an exhibit at the County Fair! I generally have a conversation in my head when I find myself in situations as you describe above – it helps me to keep my mouth shut and not give my opinion to anyone but myself. I find I am more open minded vs. liberal which are two different things. However, it does afford me the ability to listen and be entertained. My description would be white, Presbyterian and independent; not trusting of anybody and amused by most everybody. That is until I get mad and then Katie bar the door!
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QI, TB, and JL, thanks for chiming in. Comments from folks like you always bring me back from the edge of the cliff.
Mywebloge, I can’t tell if you’re a spammer or not. If not, welcome, and, for the record, I generally like the Iranian people. I’ve met quite a few and lived with one in Germany for a while. They’re one of the more advanced and open-minded Muslim populations in the world.