REMBERING GREAT AMERICAN NOVELS

Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

REMEMBERING GREAT AMERICAN NOVELS BY R.L. HUFFSTUTTER

THIS IS THE AMERICA THAT POPS UP IN MY MIND WHEN I THINK OF THE TERM "GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL." IT IS LITERALLY, A SLICE OF OLD MAIN STREET USA WHEN EVERYONE IN TOWN KNEW EVERYONE IN TOWN, WHEN THERE WERE EYES GLUED TO EVERY LITTLE TAVERN TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO WENT IN AND WHO WENT OUT. THE BIG BROTHER CONCEPT IS NOTHING NEW. WHEREAS THERE ARE NOW LIVE CAMERAS MONITORING MANY ACTIVITIES, THE EYES OF THE IDLE SITTING IN WINDOW ALCOVES ONCE RECORDED THESE DEEDS IN FULL AND ACCURATE MEANS: MEMORY. THOSE WERE THE DAYS WHEN RUMORS AND RUMORS OF WARS BETWEEN DOMESTIC COUPLES WERE VALIDATED BY BUSY TONGUES. THERE WERE SOME, HOWEVER, WHO SAT BESIDE THE WINDOW FOR ENTERTAINMENT OF SELF, NOT FOR PUBLICATION. WAGGING TONGUES, OLD MAIDENS, OLD MEN, GEEZERS, TOWN NUTS, TOWN TRAMPS, DRUNKS OF ALL STATIONS, THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE TRANSIENTS, THE YOUNG, THE OLD. THERE WERE MARRIAGES, WEDDINGS, DEATHS, BIRTHS. THERE WERE VISITORS FROM CHICAGO GETTING OFF THE IC AT THE DEPOT. THERE WAS THE SMELL OF THE BEER IN SUMMER, THE AROMA OF BREAD BAKING IN THE AUTUMN. THERE WERE GRANDPARENTS ON PORCHS. OLD MEN SAT ON BENCHES SPITTING, TELLING JOKES ONLY MEANT FOR MEN. WOMEN PURCHASED YARDS OF MATERIAL FOR MANY REASONS. THE CHILDREN HAD COUSINS ON THE FARM NINE MILES WEST OF TOWN. THE SMELL OF HOG MANURE WAS RIPE WHEN THE WHEN WAS RIGHT. THIS WAS ILLINOIS. CARL SANDBURG WROTE ABOUT IT. OTHERS WRITE ABOUT IT. THE HOME OF LINCOLN. COURTHOUSES OF YESTERDAY'S FAME COME BACK TODAY IN POLITICS. ANOTHER NATIVE SON. ANOTHER PRESIDENT FROM ILLINOIS. SEARS TOWER ABOUT TO BE SOLD AND RENAMED. THE L TRAINS. MARSHALL FIELDS. THE PALMER HOUSE. TRAINS. RUNNING IN AND OUT OF CHICAGO TO SMALL TOWNS. MEN SITTING AT BARS DRINKING BEER. WOMEN PLANNING SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS. BOYS WAVING AT PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS CENTRAL TRAINS HEADED SOMEWHERE. ILLINOIS. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA. ALL ROADS AND TRACKS LED TO CHICAGO. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, TWO WORDS THAT MADE PEOPLE IN FARAWAY LANDS SMILE AND SAY "WINDY CITY" OR "LINCOLN'S HOME."