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DemoTex is in Demopolis tonight. West Alabama. Demopolis advertises itself as the "City of the People." I sure hope so. The newspaper of Arcadia, Louisiana is The Democrat .. but it ends there. Luigi's restaurant, across from the train station in Arcadia, was full of Clinton-hating, Gore-bashing non-Democrats. Bu$h/Cheney stickers prevailed.
Basically it is the same here in Demopolis, on the lily-white surface. However, this county (just to the west of Selma) is heavily African-American. Lacking knowledge, I'd guess the Dems do control this place. Correct me if I am wrong.
I mentioned Greensboro, Alabama to the waitress tonight (How far?, I asked), and I was descended upon. Monday's potential headline: Foreigner (DemoTex) in Spaceship (Prius) Asks Questions. But on mention of my dead relatives's names, all was cool. Everyone knew Turpin Vise (he died years ago), and everyone knew that his daughter Mary, my cousin, committed suicide in a seedy motel room in Maryville (Mary's choice of exits, via pills and vodka), California in 1990, two weeks after her wedding (Flannery O'Conner/Wm. Faulkner couldn't make this shit up .. I damn sure cannot!).
So, tomorrow I think I'll visit my 92 year-old aunt in Greensboro, Mary's mom. One of my dad's older sisters. The oldest sister is in B'ham .. she is 96. The second is in Auburn (former dean there) .. she is 94. Out of a family of ten children (six girls, four boys), all six girls live now .. in great health.
The oldest of the ten, male, died of the drink in 1970. The second oldest male, and my favorite uncle, (would be 90 now) committed suicide thinking his prostate cancer had returned (no insurance in 1992). Since a firearm was involved, an autopsy was required. He shot himself over an inflamed appendix.
Until tomorrow: Prattville perhaps? Where my mom grew up and her dad invented Dr. Pepper (Family Lore).
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