Th difference between St. Louis and New York

Late in the year to write about the 4th of July fireworks, but at least it’s in 2006 : ). The 4th transforms downtown St. Louis from the repository of broken window-buildings, empty lots, deathly stillness to a buzzing, throbbing carnival where the entire city’s people congregate to watch fourth of july fireworks below the arch. Not only is the arch the site of racial mixing, but also metrolink, st. louis’s public transportation, a favorite on the 4th because downtown parking is greatly inaccessible. The colored-to-white people’s ratio in the train falls from 4:1 to 1:4 : ) and white people’s wary looks transformed to smiles of delight at the ‘safety’ and thrill of traveling in the metro on this day.

Not for the fireworks, but for the imagination it produces of an integrated city, an experience that makes you think for a moment that you’re in downtown New York rather than St. Louis.