I’d been hittin’ some hard traveling’. I came to this place in a streetcar named Desire. It was near midnight.
Meridian, Mississippi is a strange town. There’s a college in the town. A small one. Outside it has its own little walk of fame with stars embedded in the concrete and all. I wondered if these people actually had anything to do with the college or if they were just in town at some point.
I remember seeing a few writer’s names. Tennesse Williams was among them. I’ve been in the same streetcar all my life, just turning down different roads I guess. There wasn’t much of anything in the town, no real reason to stop. I stopped because I was tired, and didn't want to finish the drive to New Orleans. And my car, you know, Desire, well it was getting tired too.
I parked somewhere, near a small assembly of buildings near the college. There were very few cars anywhere and I never saw another person. I grabbed my camera and began walking around. There were carousel horses planted randomly around the town. It was like something from a B horror movie. Like the horses would come alive and eat you. I sat on one or two, they’re not very comfortable.
I started researching the town, seeing if there was anything I could do in the morning. There wasn’t much, it turned out they had one of the oldest carousels still around. It was called the Dentzel and it had been created in 1896. That sort of explained the horses. But not exactly why they were everywhere randomly. Even outside of city hall. That one was a nice golden one. I hopped up on it and pretended to be Napoleon. I did a lot of dumb things. I did say I was tired, didn't I?
I walked by an abandoned building, I wanted to go inside, maybe get some footage. But I heard strange noises, but still saw no living people. I figured I shouldn’t press my luck.
As I was walking around, a beat up old van with a door hanging on by duct tape creaked by me. I turned to my left, there was the police station. It was closed.
“Can a police station just close, crime doesn’t just stop does it?” I thought. The cars outside the police station were even older than mine. I remember thinking they must not have much of a budget.
When researching the town I remember seeing that they had a high crime rate. I assume that happens when people know the police station closes. Mostly car break ins too. Bad news for me.
The car came creeping by again. It certainly was becoming a scene from a horror movie. A kid fresh out of the city, now in rural America, where he doesn’t know anyone or anything. This is where it all goes bad in the movies.
I thought I heard something? Did that horse neigh at me?
At some point I figured it was time to go check on my car. Other than the ominous van I still hadn’t seen another living person. I got to the car, all was alright as expected and hoped for. I got inside. I drove around. I found a more secluded parking spot. I rolled my seat back and laid down as best I could. I slept.
When I woke up, the town was still very dead. But there were people here and there. And no duct taped van. I went to the library, found an interesting magic book. I read the parts of it that I needed. Then I went to breakfast and coffee at IHOP. Trust me there wasn’t much in the town, I’d have rather gone many places.
When I finished eating the waiter told me their system was down. And they couldn’t take card. He asked if I had cash, I said not enough to cover it. He said “it’s been down for about a week now. We’ve been asking people if they wouldn’t mind driving over to X location to use their ATM and then coming back to pay…”
I told him fat chance, if I leave, I’m gone. He seemed to know that was the case. I reached in my pocket for the six dollars I had. I gave it to him. I said that’s a tip, for you, not for the register. Put it in your pocket. He smiled and thanked me, then I left.
Poor guy had probably been getting stiffed for I don’t know how long. Well a week I guess. I wondered why they didn’t tell me the system was down sooner. Many ideas suggested themselves but nothing worth noting.
I got back into my car. Driven by Desire I made it to New Orleans in no time. I parked somewhere on the edge of the French Quarter. I opened my heart. And began walking.
This is when my true love affair with the city began. Driven by a streetcar named Desire. The same streetcar I’ve driven all my life.