Dream of Cool Old Town
Martha had a special antiquing plan she didn’t tell me about. So we’re driving somewhere and I think we’re going home. She’s driving and I’m sleeping. It’s night. It’s late autumn in Michigan. And I wake up and there’s snow on the ground. Where are we? Well, we’re in Kalkaska, Martha says. What?! I’m mad. Anyway, we look for a dinner place and somewhere to stay. I’ve never been to this town before but it’s typical at the same time. (Actually I have been to K many times.) We’re really Up North, maybe in the UP. There’s a small town vibe, as I will relate. It’s shopping mall sprawl hell. But in a more 50’s-60’s vein. This is a place that time almost forgot. There’s a huge department store sign that I see flashing across a parking lot that says: “Back in a few days.” Weird, I think. Another one somewhere else gives a personal message to someone.
We get to the downtown area and there are quite a few tall old hotel type buildings. We go inside and the ceilings are simply vastly high, maybe 30 feet in some places. Balconies overlook. Ornate old whitepainted wood. The place is staffed mainly by teenagers. Plus it looks like prom nite. Many teens are out having dinner in whites and tuxedos. It’s a restaurant and hotel, too. This place is a part of their everyday life.
But actually I’m really quite struck. We stroll through a couple arcades and past a nice big old moviehouse.
There’s an ordinary somewhat friendly somewhat nice bar that we get a beer at where someone winks at me and says Are you here for the action later? This is a topless dancer bar after 8pm. It’s a family eatery for now. Then I notice that there are quite a few lively young ladies doing most of the serving around the place. Everyone is acting like this is the most normal kind of bar to be at. It’s kind of like this is Up North and everyone has to pull double duty in order to make this a cultural place, as well as a viable place, and since it’s kind of a small town, rustic culture, well, a little topless is what’s needed.
We have a drink and look at the local paper. A husky 18-year-old is proud and somewhat smirking on the cover. He’s being tried for rape. But he says the parents have it all wrong. They’re in love and he doesn’t care what the law says. (He reminds me of my pal Sam Campbell.) One cop looks mad at him the other looks like he approves. We look outside the window and suddenly see some people outside the courthouse getting in a tussle. Teens are throwing snowballs at the cops and the cops are pissed and throwing the teens into trashcans and such. Tension about the big rape case bursting out in combination fun, pranking and fighting.
Basically, somehow no one has thought to destroy this old town yet. It’s clearly a place of past grandeur and old ways, of seriousness within limits. I think we’re really in the UP in an old boomtown of some type. Where people keep using the old places. And old or local ways happen despite the outside world.
I wonder if there’s anywhere like this? I bet there maybe is in the Kewanaw Peninsula. …Some old mining greatness still standing. Still being used.
