Midway

I live in St. Paul now, on the edge of Hamline University. My main drag - down and over - is Midway, which is a different sort of place. It’s not rough as rough goes, but it’s rougher than I’ve known.

My new house is tucked away up north, blanketed by cozy Minnesota-style houses and college kids in the streets. Up here - five minutes away - I don’t have to call 911 on drunk men weaving in and out of traffic, but I do on University. (First 911 call, ever.) Down a bit on Fairview, the cityscape turns to lush trees and Whole Foods.

But the first sign of home for me now is the abandoned green Spruce Tree building and blue Midway Books, with its barred windows and shady characters. I grew up around the world, but I grew up in the suburbs. Never considered myself sheltered, but so it is.

We haven’t unpacked anything because we’re waiting to paint. But then things keep getting in the way of painting. We suddenly live closer to everything interesting. I spent Wednesday night at the Turf Club, drinking ginger ale and cold medicine, watching Meg Ashling and some high school bands dressed in plaid and Nirvana hair.

Then last night I went to my first Hootenanny, a gathering of musicians and scenesters and kids and babies and grandparents and minor celebrities. I wore a polka-dotted dress and drank the bourbon that was passed around the couches. Strange people showed up: my old German professor from my last semester at the U. Elvis Perkins. Rabid raccoons. It was hot and wet and I spent a good 30 minutes in the alley with the smokers, gossiping and wondering if I should do something about the Hoot kids, who were screaming around the parking lot, trying to trap the raccoon. But I went back inside instead, where my seat was saved.

When I got home, Chris was in the new music room with his buddies, playing drums. Today it’s 86 degrees in October. Suddenly I’m in a different kind of life, but that’s OK. The other one was getting kind of strained. Have you been in a coma? someone asked the other day. Maybe.

Posted by: Zosia | 10-06-2007 | 04:10 PM
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