Six Month Review (Part 2)

Here's what I don't like about Texarkana. 

With the exception of Marty, Polly and Buck, the people I love aren't here. Sometimes I have to remind myself I am lovable. Somebody here will figure that out. Hopefully. 

There's a lack of my kind of sophistication. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not channeling my inner snob. I have a hard time talking with folks about world history, geography and food. Folks here have their own kind of sophistication and they don't appreciate what I know. But then again, I'm in their territory. 

The lack of resources I want. What I want is a Costco, Trader Joe's, Joannes and doctors I know and trust. Then again, folks in Texarkana have no appreciation for Trader Joe's. 

The lack of good air travel. Texarkana has an airport. So does Springerville Arizona. It's probably close to the same experience. If I want a non-stop flight to anywhere other than Saint Louis, I'm driving into Dallas or Houston and parking at the terminal. If I'm going to St. Louis, I'm driving to Little Rock and flying Southwest.

The lack of good restaurants. There are a few chain restaurants along the Interstate--Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, Red Lobster and Outback. They taste like the Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel and Outback. I don't know about the Red Lobster. Local Texarkana restaurants genres include barbecue and soul food. The menus for both are the same. These places serve shrimp and beef and the sides are all fried okra, fried green beans, fried onion rings or fried corn fritters. No matter the restaurant, condiments are sugary barbeque sauce and mayo. Sweet tea is a thing. The folks here don't recognize this as terrible. 

Zoning is a mere suggestion. Drive down New Boston Road and you will pass the day care, next to the Baptist church, next to the apartment complex, next to the body shop, next to the barbecue restaurant, next to the other Baptist church. Every mile or so is a housing development. And, it isn't only New Boston Road. In the City of Wake Village, there are three restaurants nestled in between the houses and the storage unit, two dance studios, a dry cleaner, four (I'm not making this up) Baptist churches and the apartment complex.  

Lack of opportunities for young people. I'd like to think my young adults are creative enough to make their own entertainment. Hopefully the people they are meeting feel the same.