To Our Soldier Dead: Love is a Battlefield

Memorial Day Weekend, St. Louis – 2007

Intermittent showers did not deter me from riding my bike to the Rib America Festival in downtown St. Louis this weekend. This annual event offered the quintessential American experience: Morris Day, Night Ranger, Pat Benatar, succulent grilled pig (smothered in hot sauce) and $7 lemonades.

Unlike years past, I did forgo the deep-fried Twinkie.

As much as I delight in all-things battered and submerged in scalding-hot oil, I found myself enjoying roasted sweet corn and savory baked beans instead.

I could attribute this choice to better-living, afterwards, as I made my way to The Royale, smoking a cigarette, dodging cars, all-the-while singing Love is a Battlefield, it occurred to me that I shouldn’t congratulate myself for avoiding boiled sponge cake. I just needed to avoid folks hopped-up on beer and guitar rifts.

It is with some disdain that I have to report the shoddy conditions of Soldier's Memorial (pictures below). A stroll around the monument revealed that the brickwork around the building has fallen into outrageous disrepair. There are huge chunks of shattered brick, weeds and invasive moss on the east and west sides of the building.

While a group of veterans have made it their mission to landscape the memorial, the signs proclaiming “FREEDOM IS NOT FREE” only brought to mind: “Neither is Tuck-Pointing.”

Speaking of restoring buildings, it is also fascinates me that across the street, The Ford is being rehabbed, with units starting in the $400’s.

How affordable!

*ahem*

This building is also one block from a park where countless homeless veterans sleep at night, given that the homeless shelter around the corner is filled to capacity. I can’t help but wonder when this luxury residence is finished, if the rocking street festival and the homeless folks will be forced out.

Clench your teeth and say, "Rat-tails and riff-raff...really!

As downtown continues its so-called renaissance, it is disheartening to see that the aspirations of the well-heeled are making very little difference to those fortunate enough to have shoes at all.

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