Wal-Mart, Kroger, and real culture.

Ok, having traveled as much as I did for four years around the US, I feel that I have a certain authority. I elect to share the thought on the subject today, where to find the real cultural baseline in any community.

Ever wonder while traveling, are these people more civilized than those of my neighbors? We never ask people to measure up to ourselves. No, the neighbor becomes most peoples yardstick. Many people mistakenly start with the local art scene. When I say art, I lump a lot together. Music, plays, and museums all offer the traveler art forms to be enjoyed or cried about depending on the performance. Now in Little Rock, people on the cutting edge enjoy places like Juanita’s, Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack, and the like. All offer a glimpse of the music front in Arkansas. I am sure you have places like this near you. Were not talking major label bands here every night. Don’t get me wrong; great people play places like these every night. But if you are new, you just might get a break too. They offer the best there is in today’s music scene. Radio frankly sucks, playing top 40 all day long in not the way to go, but more on that later.

Still others examine the live stage performances offered. Again we have these. The Rep offers great value and brings in some wonderful productions. Some of the plays I have seen on stage have been dramatic, and maybe even value altering.

But if you real want to see what culture is like, you have to hit the places ALL locals visit. The best by far is Wal-Mart. Where can you buy Christmas tree ornaments at 2am and be standing in line with a guy buying underwear? Wal-Mart! No, you say. Trust me, been there and done that. It was a few years back, and one might wonder if he thought I was odd. Sure beat says he did. Who in their right mind would be buying Christmas decorations at 2am? Hey, I got off at mid-night and could not sleep. Why do you need underwear at this hour buddy? Too much Ryan’s Steakhouse? I will share that story later with you, not my work, great stuff. Now, this poor sole may have never darkened the door of stage production anywhere. But he visits Wal-Mart.

What brought all this up was a trip the other day to another city, and while not thousands of miles from home, a trip of about twenty-five miles. I needed a soda and gum. Not wanting cigarette smoke cured products; I opted for Kroger’s. Now they are a fairly large chain. I have never looked, but feel certain they have a no shirt, no shoes, no service policy. At least I hope they do. Well out walks a kid, probable eight or nine years old. If I am lying I am dying here people. The kid walks out with out a shirt. Now for those of you the live here, you know it has been possible to already start a tan at least. This kid was dark, or at least most of him was. He was in a pair of blue jean cut off’s, the kind your mom made you out of those Rustler jeans, the cut ends not yet frayed. If this was not a glance in to the microcosm of culture, what follows next is. Someone had shave a Mohawk into this kid’s head. Okay you say, not so bad. It was not tan underneath. Someone get the kid a hat. I almost laughed at him, but his dad was larger than I and in a sleeveless denim shirt, appearing to have been tailored at the same little boutique.

To heck with the arts, you want to know the culture of a place? Head to Wal-Mart, Kroger’s, Piggly Wiggly, but avoid a Target. Those people have money; you will see them at the theater anyway.