Magic City.
I made the prediction yesterday that I would be blessedly anonymous today, venturing into places where I have never been. The thing about predicting is that predictions are never right. Someone recognized me in the craziest situation in Birmingham, Alabama.
I have no idea how far I am from New Orleans right now. It is a different world.
I am ensconced in Birmingham, Alabama. Roll Tide.
Birmingham appears to be a city that goes by two nicknames. It is both the Iron City and the Magic City. I do not know this for a fact. I only know what I see on the signs of vape shops, title loan offices, seedy barrooms, balebondsmen, delicatessens, used car lots, and just about anything else worth noticing in Birmingham.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I am in a neighborhood called Five Points. Amy recommended it to me. I didn’t ask her to. She was concerned where I would find myself since the fact that I have no discernible plan is often disconcerting to the uninitiated. She recommended Five Points. This will do.
Everyone is friendly. I find the central business district of Birmingham lackluster despite its architecture, there is no bustle in downtown Birmingham. There are not any hotels because there is nothing to do. At least, there are few hotels that I could find in glamorous and exotic downtown, Birmingham, Alabama. The two hotels I found downtown both had no vacancy.
Who comes to Birmingham?
It is the people I have met that have made me take a liking to Magic City. Other than that, I have not discovered a compelling reason to revisit.
Someone just bought a recorder. It is made of transparent pink plastic. His companion says he sounds like a snake charmer. It is enchanting. I believe they are in their twenties. They seem to be linked in someway but not necessarily in love.
Magic City.
I have been talking to a retired Alabama State Senator. I have very little interest in his career, so, we talk about other things. It is easy to see that he is a politician. He talks to everybody like he knows them. We are not running buddies. We are making the rounds of Five Points. Me, him, and Alexya, who is from New Jersey.
I just asked Alexya how the pizza is here, since she if from New Jersey. She went bug-eyed, looked around, then, she looked directly at me. She set her mouth into exactly the expression to tell me all I needed to know and she offered me a tight head shake to discourage me from ordering.
No man is an island.
Where have I gone today aside from between Chattanooga and here? Let us only discuss Birmingham.
I have been all over Birmingham, Alabama though not as far as someone who has lived here for six months. I have yet to see the statue of Vulcan statue aside from in this painting on plywood.
Wait a minute. I have something to do. When I get back, I will tell you about what really happened today from my perspective.
Birmingham is like Soylent Green. It is made of people.
Would you like to read another thousand words? Where there is a will, there is a way. I am going to tell you about the guy who knew me.
If you can make it in Birmingham, Alabama, you can make it anywhere.