10 Feb. Jacksonville
Arrival, travels and talking.
The flights and hotels are empty as any domestic traveler must know. Read
about but much.more stark when boarding and seating is so easy.
The taxi driver was from Croatia. Struck up a conversation (moi?); Split
and Jacksonville compared. Here everyone knows your business and you must
conform. This from a person of mixed religion marriage in a region that was
at a war he escaped.
We discused the economy. "Every bad thing is good for someone else" maybe
translated from his native tongue. Lived through the wars and pointed out
how well, that is how much money, others made. His metaphor was that I
could stretch out with all the seats empty even though he could not make a
living. He was not bitter. Has settled for Jacksonville and gave me good
advice about which local roads were under too much construction and how to
ride around these areas.
Thanks to KQED we now get the New Yorker. Has been years since reading it
but thought it might make a companion on two plane flights. Yes, a very good
one. While several of the pieces were informative and, of course well
written, a piece on African entepreneurs in China stands out. I have just
read "Factory Girls" and been reminded of the incredible energy, life risks,
and joys of the adventure and independence of the young migrants. Now this
piece discusses the Nigerian and other African communities. The story is
similar. While not said so directly this is what MUST have been the
immigrant experience (see also Triangle Fire) of the late 19th to pre-war
20th in America. A continual story of opportunity, cons, life on the edge,
fotunes gained and lost and picking oneself up again and again: you in
control.
Bike assembled, possible valve leak -will know in the am.
In a fine Sheraton, thank Michelle. Dinner not worth a photo – salad and a
club sandwich.
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