21 APR 08: MONTGOMERY GENTLY
"Are you staying here another week?" An older man asked me that question Sunday morning, in a motel lobby - but no, I was checking out. He'd have to find a bridge partner elsewhere.
"I'm not sure I could stand another week in Montgomery, Alabama," the man continued. When I asked him why, he started making rambling comments about Victoryland in Macon County. Yes, some people really do seem to miss lottery tickets at convenience stores.
"I could spend a week there...." - and the man pointed at artwork on the motel lobby wall depicting Arizona. What does that state have, which Montgomery is lacking? Do the azaleas need some needles on them?
"Are you from Alabama?" I told the older man I wasn't, which forced him to do a little thinking. "You look like you're from Florida." I never knew a tan corduroy sportcoat was standard fashion in Orlando.
This was one of the surprise memorable moments of a weekend trip to Montgomery. I hadn't been to Alabama's capital in more than seven years - a city not much bigger than Columbus. But the difference between the two quickly becomes obvious. Montgomery feels and acts like a mid-sized city. Columbus still has a prayer tower among its three tallest buildings.
The weekend in Montgomery had a spiritual focus, and as a result I didn't visit that much of the city. But I was reminded anew of how Montgomery tends to be years ahead of Columbus in some business trends. For instance....
+ Montgomery has a Costco store. Columbus merely has a Sam's Club -- although we might have more Family Dollar stores.
+ Montgomery has a Lone Star Steakhouse. That national chain isn't in Columbus - but then, I was surprised to find it can't be found anywhere in Texas.
+ The Montgomery telephone directory divides its "white pages" into residential and business listings. The biggest division in our phone book separates Columbus from LaGrange.
Part of the difference, of course, may stem from the fact that Montgomery is a state capital. There could be plenty of pressure on companies, from lawmakers used to the amenities of Birmingham or Mobile. But then again, there didn't seem to be barbecue restaurants every couple of blocks.
Even the drive to Montgomery indicated how much bigger it tries to be. I was able to drive 70 miles per hour down Interstate 85, all the way to my exit at East Boulevard. Well, I mean legally. Not the way some drivers on J.R. Allen Parkway do it....
(The posted speed limit is a surprising 55, on East and South Boulevards around Montgomery. Why someone dared to sell Sunday papers in the median is a mystery to me.)
But the bigness doesn't stop with the speed limits. Montgomery's sales tax is a whopping ten percent. Yet new businesses seem to keep opening on the east side of town. And Montgomery even has two shopping malls - although Steve & Barry's seems to be all alone at Montgomery Mall, and in dire need of a library.
There's an age-old debate about whether it's faster to drive between Columbus and Montgomery by going "up and down" on U.S. 280 and Interstate 85 through Opelika, or east-west on U.S. 80 through Crawford. I tried both routes, and the time was about the same. But then, one slow-moving farm tractor on U.S. 80 could have changed everything.
As for the spiritual events we attended in Montgomery: they were thought-provoking in several ways. And the speakers had enough good taste NOT to make fun of the Pope's U.S. tour -- by calling him things like "Pope Benny Hinn."
Oh yes, I haven't mentioned that motel where I stayed in Montgomery. At one point in the weekend, a Jaguar was parked next to my humble Honda. That driver must be staying at a Motel 6, so he can pay off the Jaguar....
The Motel 6 on East Boulevard was a good weekend value, at $39.95 a night. And it was first motel room I've seen in years with a hardwood floor. The feel was very European - except the cable TV options were relatively small, and BBC America was missing.
E-MAIL UPDATE: We made it home safely Sunday afternoon, so we had time to check the InBox and find this waiting....
I thought it was sort of low down for the Ledger to bring up the negatives of buying the St.Jude House ticket just before the drawing...It is not about paying taxes on winnings just as if you won in Vegas,but it is about helping kids with cancer.
Another low blow from the Ledger was writing about the lady having a record who is having her house rebuilt by local volunteers.
Perhaps the newspaper's point with that front-page story was to have people "count the cost," before they spend 100 dollars on a Dream Home ticket. Even the winner of $6,000 worth of furniture might need to give a recliner to an accountant, to handle the financial details.
Lo and behold, a "Burkart" was on the winner's list from Saturday's St. Jude Dream Home giveaway. But she won a prize from Leisure Lifestyles, not the house itself - so it doesn't seem quite right for me to adjust the spelling of my last name, and demand a share of a swimming pool.
Let's see what else happened over the weekend, while we were out of town....
+ A parade was held downtown, to mark Kendrick High School's 40th anniversary and the state ladies' basketball champions. But why did this parade start in Phenix City? Did that many Kendrick grads move across the river, and consider it an improvement?
+ The annual Best Ranger competition at Fort Benning had 28 pairs of Army contestants - but only 16 teams finished the three-day event. I think those teams are the only ones who can advance to the next level, and submit a videotape to "Survivor."
+ Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays released Columbus native Frank Thomas. He has more than 500 home runs, yet now is a free agent - so maybe Thomas should look up Barry Bonds, and form a tennis doubles team.
+ Instant Message to the New York Post: Can't wait to see your coverage of the Yankee Stadium mass. What will your tabloid's front page headline be - "POPE TILL YOU DROP"?
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BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 566 (+ 3, 0.5%)
TRUDGE REPORT, DAYS 49-50: Walking, 1.4 miles. Total: 157.3 miles run, 16.8 walked
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