Downtown

I set out walking for downtown today to go to a couple of events. the Big Write reception and the Wordsmith Bookshoppe's celebration of Independent Bookstore Day.

It was a cold, blustery day - it seems to me it's been a long, cold spring - but walking is pleasant as my route takes me down North Broad and through the loop to the llibrary. I got to look at the Carl Sandburg and dog statue, and all the trees were blooming. There was no train anywhere in sight.

In the library the second floor room had lots of chairs set out and there were twenty-four people, more or less, including me, there. Most either had won something or was family of someone who had. I on the other hand had entered a story, and it hadn't won, so I was eager to hear the winners to see what one had to do.

The library woman explained how the judges were independent volunteers. They had cookies and lemonade and I ate a cookie. I was disappointed that my hearing aids weren't working that well and I had trouble with several of the readings, as there was too much echo and not enough clarity. If I had sat right up front I might have been able to read lips, but I didn't really want to sit up front.

They said that the Big Write entries were put into a publication which they would make available, but it might have mature content. In fact, one of the high schoolers who had pink hair mentioned that her reading would have mature content - at least that's what I think she said, because a group of people just walked out when she said it, and returned when her reading was over. I wasn't sure about what exactly her reading had, though I know it had geno/sui/cide in it and that enough was probably objectionable to some. What's the point if you can't be a little edgy? I thought it was good although I didn't quite understand everything that was going on.

Most contestants got a certificate of their winning and I think some money exchanged hands too. I was disappointed not to win, but my attitude is this: the money is encouragement to keep writing, and I don't need encouragement; I'm going to write anyway. So if it actually works to make someone feel good, I'll find my own money to keep going. Except that, in fact, I do get discouraged sometimes.

The Adult Short Story winner was an older guy with a hat and a story about a Christmas letter. His voice was louder than the rest and he clearly had good humor as people laughed at his jokes. I however still had trouble hearing it exactly. It reminded me that I still spend so much time in my own chair, with a wife who speaks right into my face, that I don't have enough experience out in the world where I should know I have to move right up to the front to get anything out of it.

After it was over I walked the two blocks to the bookstore, and I was grateful to have a town whose downtown is so big you can be a street or two off the main drag and still be in the downtown. It's a pleasant place, actually, and there are bar neighborhoods. There's clearly plenty of alcohol happening on top of the other things downtowns have. These are not really the days of downtowns, what with covid and all, and a shrinking population, but to me I was in a big city and I kind of liked the traffic, the action, the many different things going on. Some buildings were clearly vacant. Sometimes, I'm sure, it's absolutely empty, and that's not a good feeling. But today it was feeling lively.

The bookstore had some giveaways and lots of sales but I wasn't in a buying mood. I picked up a souvenir pencil and set out for home, this time along Prairie Street. The wind was so stiff I had to hold my hat or I'd lose it. The houses on Prairie Street are quite nice, though, and there's lots of green grass and flowers. I was home to my chair soon enough.

If you're a writer you have to get out and experience the writer's life. I was somewhat quiet - nobody knew who I was. Next year I'll win the darn thing, that is, if I see it coming around.