Over the last few years I have had a longing to be a local. The guy who walks through the doors on Saturday morning and the chef has your breakfast burrito with glorious little seasoned potatoes, and the pineapple that drips freshness waiting at the table. Where it always happens that all your friends (who happen to be locals) are sitting, coffee mugs in hand, waiting for you to join.
It's the kind of place you show up unannounced, and they are always expecting you.
There is a deep nostalgia to these places. We connect with them. For me it started with Saved by the bell: The Max. Everything happened there. Laughter, secrets, love, frustration, dance parties, all of life seemed to center around this weirdly bland diner. It soon become apparent, even to an eight year old, that it wasn't the fries, the odd tuxedo clad manager, or the Top Forty parties that Casey Kasem was throwing that made the Max...the Max.
Living in Kansas City I have finally found my place. It is just a few blocks from my house. They serve some of the finest brews in town, and they have this porch. The porch is covered by the sprawling arms of a huge maple tree, and is illuminated by the soft glow of lights woven in and around the branches.
The porch is a gathering place. It is the place that we sit and breath in the aromas of Coffee stouts (Broadway coffee, and McCoy's came together to change my life tonight), and breath out our understanding of why life is weird, hard, annoying, awesome, exciting, painful, and so damn boring some times.
Actually that last one if from my and Dave's gchat conversations at work...
The realization from The Max, and from McCoy's porch is that being a local isn't about the place, it is, will, and has always been the people. The porch can be transported and transformed. It can move cities, change jobs, and if you are willing it can change your life.
This place (our virtual porch) is an overflow of some of the conversations, dreams, and adventures from our place. It's local to you. And to me.
Welcome to the stories from our Porch.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment