Small town USA
Writing by Brad on Saturday, 14 of July , 2007 at 1:04 am
Open letter to middle America:
Acting tough is not the same as being tough. I was out with some friends tonight for a few beers. We talked of interesting things and mild Sioux City drama. Luckily the people I was drinking with didn’t care much for the local pastime of gossip and intrigue. Last call comes and we make out way out to the van. What do we find? Some woman has been stabbed by another woman, and the crowds are circling to see the auxiliary fights that have broken out. Three to my count until the police show up and the dogs come out. My friend says to me “Welcome to 4th street”. 4th Street is the place where the popular bars are in Sioux City. There are other bars in town, but this is where the weekend warriors come out to play. By weekend warriors I mean college kids and people who don’t show up on a weekday because the odds of them finding a drunk member of the opposite sex willing to go home with them are so much lower. But this is Sioux City…
I’ll never understand the mentality that goes into a bar fight or sidewalk stabbing.
So kids. Guys and Girls. It’s simple, really it is. Be aware of your surroundings and try not to overstep your bounds. Know when an apology is the right thing to do. Respect women or men as the case may be, and know that whatever happened is an opportunity for you to exit. Exit the drama, exit the people who can’t control themselves, exit the ego driven situation where the person offended is so sensitive that they have to hurt someone else.
Those aren’t good people, however noble their intentions sound, those are small people, with fragile egos. Those are dangerous people who will find themselves in jail eventually. And I can’t think of a better place for them. But then again, I’ve had my drinks tonight, I’m upset, and I think someone got blood on my van.
This is Sioux City, Iowa where the population is under 100K, and everyone has to be tough. Cause it matters… Whatever…
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Comments (5)
Category: Personal,Random,United States
Comment by alex in law
Made Saturday, 14 of July , 2007 at 7:22 pm
I cant stand angry drunks. Always a party killer.
Comment by Crystal
Made Monday, 16 of July , 2007 at 8:33 am
Yikes! Was it anyone I know?! 
Comment by KT
Made Tuesday, 17 of July , 2007 at 2:35 pm
“I think someone got blood on my van.”
Unbelievable. Awesome. Not awesome-good. Awesome in the sense of AWE. Jesus.
I didn’t expect to read that line in the midst of the travelogue.
Fuck it. I will not put the pom poms down. I WILL NOT.
Comment by Scotty
Made Friday, 20 of July , 2007 at 3:22 pm
That whole neighborhood is kind of F**ked up. One of the last times I was there visiting some friends we parked my rental car there around 4th street so we could visit some of the less reputable bars in the area. When we came back, someone had taken a bat to the car and had put quite the nice dent in the side. Luckily I have good insurance No blood though, that would have completely freaked me out.
Comment by Vicky
Made Friday, 27 of July , 2007 at 1:35 pm
Am just now catching up on your travels and thoughts Brad… Had somewhat of a “dejavu” when reading on your night out in Sioux City…….. Back in 1970 on one of my Harley trips across the good old US of A… spent an afternoon and night drinking at a tavern in Des Moines called “So’s Your Mother”… and the night ended in much the same way… but with a bunch of bikers…not college girls… ha! How the world has changed… Miss you Brad – Take care!
