Reporting from St. Louis

Have you ever wondered how in the world there is enough food for all the people in the world to eat? Over the weekend I rode the Metrolink train from the Illinois outskirts into St. Louis. The Metrolink is disarmingly simple for a major city mass transit system. Instead of the typical spaghetti map composed of the primary colors assembled into an incomprehensible barrier to understanding, the metrolink map is one line with stations arranged along its path. Yes, that’s right. One graphic line. Perhaps it is a concession to the quality of the education in the St. Louis schools, but I think instead it is a good and simple way to layout a mass transit system.

Now back to the food question. Riding from my daughter’s house to the city, a distance of maybe twenty miles, we passed acres and acres of rolling corn and bean fields. Many more acres I’m confident than the acreage occupied by the city of St Louis. My daughter tells me this is the tip of the iceberg of farming in the region. I will wonder where all the food comes from never again; at least the corn and beans. I couldn’t help wondering about the lives lived on these farms. They are the quintessential photograph of American rural life; the white farm house with red barn and tall silo stationed in the geographic center of rolling green farmland. How would it be to call a farm like this your home?

I took the Metrolink to the airport yesterday. All the way from the farmlands, thru the length of the city, and arrived so late (because of a Cardinals game) I had to sprint through the airport like O.J. Simpson of long ago. Making matters worse, the TSA official wanted to hand check my carry-on bag. I guess because of my shaved head I looked the type to carry out a ruthless terrorist attack over the St. Louis arch. He was a young, muscular athletic appearing man. He found inside my carry on a couple of texts for training young sprinters in track and field. His face lit up like a kid at Christmas. Unfortunately this discovery turned into a track sprinter question and answer session, while I danced around and glanced at my watch nervously. Finally he bid me a good day; at least he did so to my rapidly disappearing butt that took off like the starters pistol had fired. I arrived at the gate in full sprint just as the boarding agent was giving me the ‘not on your life’ look. I sweet talked her. And as fate would have things, after I am the last person seated, (yes I know we all hate that guy) we then sat on the runway for 30 minutes waiting our turn to take-off.

I am a lifelong baseball fan. I am stuck with the Texas Rangers unfortunately. I lovingly refer to them as the Texas 500’s since they are paralyzed in a successive streak of .500 seasons. Give them credit for consistency anyway. If we lose today we are guaranteed a win tomorrow and a loss the next day, and so it goes.

They are more fortunate in St. Louis. It is a city with a treasure of baseball history and a love affair with the beloved Cardinals. Too much love in my opinion. We toured their new stadium on Saturday. People were lined up for entrance several hours before the game. Kids in Cardinal jerseys played baseball on the adjacent streets waiting for the gates to open. And then the pinnacle of Cardinal mania; the father, mother and three kid family all dressed in Cardinal jerseys and caps. Yes, these are grown men and women wearing “Pujols” and “Rolen” jerseys, the little tribe of red bejeweled baby cardinals following close behind, three small red caps following the two big red caps, like ducks along the banks of a lake, except in this case along the banks of Busch Stadium. I am a big baseball fan, but I mean COME ON! GET A LIFE, please.

I would like to nominate St. Louis for the easiest and best mass transit system I have seen. All of you in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago know what I am talking about! I don’t think anyone can really read the subway and bus maps in those cities. I doubt they are even correct. They don’t have to be; no one understands them anyway. I doubt also if they are ever updated. There is no point. Regulars know what to do by experience. Visitors ask questions of rude citizens and drivers. And guys like me end up at the Mets stadium by mistake instead of Yankee Stadium. At least there aren’t tribes of families dressed in Mets uniforms!