The Saturday Morning Post: Going Home Again

 I was in Louisville, Kentucky last week for three days for a conference, Louisville was kinda of home for me at one time.  I went to graduate school (law school) at the University of Louisville.  The first year I commuted from Lexington, 82 miles each way from our home in Lexington to the parking lot at the University. Second and third year I rented an efficiency apartment between the University and downtown Louisville.  The hotel I stayed in this trip was about a 20 minute walk from the apartment.  As I looked out that hotel room window I could see the University Campus, so I was looking past the apartment I rented. 

Was the apartment home?  I would come in Monday morning, and go back to Lexington when my classes were done for the week, either Thursday evening or mid-day on Friday.  My mail went to Lexington, Lexington was the address on my drivers license.  But the apartment was my law school home.  It was spartan, no phone, no television, no internet.  All I could do was eat, sleep, shower and study there.  And I would.  On Sunday I would prepare for Monday and Tuesday classes, and on Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night I would prep for the rest of my classes and get some writing done. The apartment gave me my Saturdays back.  

In the apartment I had a desk with a VERY COMFORTABLE desk chair, a bed, a couple of lamps and a radio (I was a radio alarm clock user in those days.)  If I had an evening when my work was caught up, I would take a long walk, often a walk into downtown and back.  

So I spent a couple of days walking those same, but different streets.  As many cities have, Louisville has changed.  There are new hotels, and a couple of new office buildings. And lots of empty offices, and empty retail and restaurants.  The city was scarred by the Breonna Taylor murder by police. Police served a warrant, breaking down the door at the wrong house. The reaction from police and prosecutors was less than genuine and protests became riots. 

There are the shells of a few buildings burned in the protests.  COVID and changes in big tobacco have resulted in few people working downtown.  Restaurants were surprisingly empty at midday on a Friday. Many have not survived. The city will continue to evolve. 

Bourbon tourism has grown, with several tourist distilleries moving into downtown, one I visited wanted $50 for a tour and tasting, no waiting - I passed on that. There are a couple of new museums. And a new highway bridge across the Ohio River. 

It was nice to be there, it felt familiar, but different.  I had forgotten how friendly people are in that part of the country.  And fat, I didn't feel out of place being a little round in shape.