First Impressions

Dear Tracila,

First impressions.  There are so many sayings about them: they are never wrong; they can’t be changed.  I think, though, that first impressions are just that – they are first.  Our perceptions of people and places build upon what those first impressions are.  The final impression may be quite contradictory to the first.  I start off with this because I’m going to give you my first impressions of my new home.

The first thing I want to clarify is what I mean by small town.  You and I have both lived in a small town before.  Northampton was a small town.  Carbondale is very different from Noho.  When I say small town, I mean a rural small town.  There’s a cornfield next to the Lowe’s and behind the Ford/Mazda dealership.  Literally, a cornfield, right there.  The main road through the town, Illinois 13, which runs east-west, is a long strip which on the east end is made up of cheap motels, car dealerships, chain stores and restaurants, strip malls and, of course, a Walmart…which I continue to boycott!  They have a Barnes & Noble, and there’s a Starbucks in the local Kroger supermarket.  Which by the way is on Giant City Road that leads to Giant City State Park!  The west side is obviously older – more residential and the buildings have more character.  There is another highway, Illinois 51, which intersects with IL 13 right at the dividing line…which is the train tracks.  Apparently this is the strip where the more university oriented bars, restaurants and businesses are located.  I haven’t had the chance to check these out yet, so that will come later.  The bottom line is: this is a rural small town with corporate globalization infiltrating on the cornfields!  And it’s a university town…which adds a completely separate dimension to be discussed in a later correspondence.

The people in the town here are a mixed bag.  Random people that you meet are a bit off-putting, but the people in the stores and the restaurants have been extremely friendly.  Much more so than people in NYC.  Although, I never had a problem with the straightforward, business approach in New York.  In fact, I miss it terribly.  I don’t really need to have a conversation with the woman behind the counter who’s selling me cigarettes.  But I’m smiling through it and being polite…if not altogether friendly.  If you know what I mean…

I did have one interesting encounter, which opened my eyes.  While at dinner at the local Thai restaurant with my dad and stepmother, I noticed a piece of art on the wall.  It was a painting, possibly a silk screen, with those old silhouettes of Alice in Wonderland from the Lewis Carroll books.  There was one main image of Alice at the top and she looked as though she was in a frenzied dance, and at the bottom were smaller images of haloed Alices, serenely standing in an impression of water.  The colors were bold and yet dark.  The piece was titled: Alice #5 (the Vengeance).  Let’s just say, I loved it!  It had the artist’s name, a price and then “Sold” after the price.  I looked around the restaurant and noticed that there were some other pieces, obviously by the same artist, on the walls.  When we left, I approached the hostess of the restaurant.  Now all of the waitresses at the restaurant were wearing sarong, Thai-style skirts.  The hostess was no different.  She was also wearing a blue t-shirt that revealed tattoos on her arms.  I asked her who the artist was.  Her reply: “I am.”  Her name was Edie Overturf.  I told her I liked her work and left.  As I departed, I thought to myself: she’s really good.  What is she doing here?  She should be in San Francisco or New York.  Then I stopped and realized that no matter where you are, you find all kinds of people if you are just open to it.  Perhaps before I come back to NYC, I will have purchased something by Edie Overturf to hang on the wall…

I’m keeping a list of restaurants for us to go to when you come visit.  I know you said you wanted to go to the chain restaurants…and we can.  Hopefully, I will have some interesting, good restaurants for us to eat at.  Of course, I am on the look out for sushi…just for you!

Next impressions to come after classes have started…

Miss ya tons.  Love ya more.

Xoxo,

Lynnela