Thursday, March 06, 2008

america

The Kansas Bar and Grill next to the cinema here in the north seems to have closed. Naturally I don’t normally frequent such places but I had grown rather fond of it. With it’s Brokeback Mountain midwest shop fronts, sawn off wall mounted red convertible with surfboard on the back seat and ceiling suspended crop duster plane it just seemed to conjure up all those things that aren’t quite one side of the ocean or the other, Bill Bryson, Henry and Shea's Mildenhall rendition of Drift Away, The inside of Miss Baroque's flat. Sometimes of course you can have too much American influence with your after-film martini so to get away from it all I can always go straight home and watch the government announce their foreign policy on the news. Of course I usually disapprove of anything that pretends to be something else, and as you know, with this blog it’s facts alone that are wanted, and what's more I really don't know why anyone who works in an office or a factory feels the need to seek out such escapism; if they think their life is hard they should try downshifting! I shall miss the old place though and now when the Greyhound turns off the A19 at Stockton it just won't be the same. My neighbour says I'm only sad because it’s the nearest bar to the cinema but he’s got no heart, and now I'm empty and aching and I don't know why...

10 comments:

aims said...

The Kansas Bar and Grill?? are you kidding us? oh wait - it's you - of course you aren't.

Potty Mummy said...

I recommend a hip flask, Rilly. I'm sure Smythson must sell them by now.

Cath said...

Your neighbour is a cynic. But I recommend Thermos flask. Most folk think there's coffee in it. Tell them it's some exotic tea and they'll never want to taste and never know...

Expat mum said...

And here's me stuck in the US midwest desperately trying to recreate the north east with my little coal ornaments, Beanish museum teapot and Geordie tea towels!

Iota said...

Kansas Bar and Grill? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Arthur Clewley said...

hello Rilly. I don't know if it's closed down for good or if they just had to do some alterations after a customer turned the 'this way to the rodeo' sign around. They just don't want to get sued if somebody doesn't find it and ends up in Homebase instead.

Anonymous said...

Makes me want to say "I Don't think we're in Kansas anymore..." in a girly way. Had you thought of going to nice pub instead? Just a thought...

Penny Pincher said...

How kind of you to check us out in the south west during these stormy days, Rilly dear. We survived the night and are now awaiting the afternoon bashing. I am thankful that I live far enough from the coast and on high ground to have no concern re flooding. As you can see we still have power - unlike 5000 in deepest Devon.

I watched the TV news this morning and see that Cornwall and Devon received very little mention because they were all getting very excitable with the winds starting to encroach on the South East.

Lets hope they have trees down and power losses too - just so they can experience a rural way of life for a change.

rilly super said...

aims, are you suggesting everything in this blog isn't true? sob

potty mummy, it's hard enough to find an unfashionable flask around here never mind a hip one

crazycath dear, that does sound much more sensible from a volume point of view. The cinema even has special holders for them actually built into the seat arms. I thought those were just to hold one's box of tissues for the sad bits, sigh

expatmum, well, if you need some more american stuff over there than I think I know where there's a surfboard going cheap...

iota, I know how you feel, reminds me of like the first time I saw a man naked, sigh

Arthur, ah yes, and then there was the time somebody very rudely altered the 'bucking broncos' poster too..

mutley old chap, thanks ever so for visiting. Actually there is a nice pub, just leave the cinema car park, turn right in the A19 and then the Islington arms is only three or four hours way, sob

ladythinker dear, awfully glad to hear you have not been blown away but what a terrible suggestion that a gentle breeze in London trumps a force 12 in Devon for media coverage, well, I don't know, what a terrible thing to even think...

Ms Baroque said...

Dear Rilly, you have captured the feel of Baroque Mansions to a T (that's a MODEL T, of course)! If ever you find yourself on a rare jaunt down south and feeling nostalgic, just give me a ring and you can come round and have martinis in my biplane.