Musings from Little Rock

Little Rock's actually a nice place. The people are friendly. There are some beautiful period architecture buildings. The restaurants are mostly reasonable and the servings are extra large. Furthermore, depending on your political leanings, Bill Clinton was from that neck of the woods.

When I arrived the weather was unseasonably warm, making for some seious Mardi Gras partying scenarios as well. Unfortunately for me, the flight arrived late and after a Little Rock-sized helping of Angel hair pasta for dinner at the Hotel restaurant, you could not pry me out of the hotel with a crowbar, even with promise of festivity and social mayhem.

What did catch my attention, however, was a conversation with a man at the Little Rock Airport on the way out. Glancing at a group of 18-ish year old men (and one women), most with shaved heads and headed for marine boot camp, he stated, "18 year olds are all good for nothing". Now, nothing gets up my curiosity more than someone with a strong opinion so I proceeded to ask him why he felt so strongly about 18 year olds. He promptly claimed they were always asking for something (typically money), always thought they knew more than their parents and never expressed any gratitude. I asked how old his children were and he noted that they were in their mid-thirties. I suggested that they must have gotten reasonably independent by that point to which he responded that they had but that his grandchildren had taken up where his children left off (ie., asking for money). Having been there, I have to admit that there was some kernal of truth to what he said although I would claim that the process of weaning oneself away from one's parents is really where you learn to appreciate everything they have done for you. For example, the first time you do your own laundry and have something run, turning all the rest of your clothes hideous pinkish-brown, you realize that Mom was an Angel all those years! Besides, growing up is something we all go through and a certain amount of sympathy and understanding is due all around.