Newport

On this blog and a little while back, I posted some words about my "life drama." Don't look for any links to those earlier posts, because I feel like my life is an open book already. That's probably my own doing.

A friend took me in for almost two months in order for me to get on my feet and get my head straight. I'm better, I'm on my own again, but I'm not living in downtown Cincinnati.

For now and maybe for some time to come, I’m living in downtown Newport, Kentucky.

I’ve been here for a few weeks. Before moving here, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been in Newport. Know something? There’s a big difference between being here and living in downtown Cincinnati.

Newport has more of a hometown feel to it. People smile at you. When I take walks in the morning, people say “good morning” and I say it back.

When I go to bars I don’t know, the other customers don’t look at me like I’m out of place. I get smiles. I get welcomed.

A few days ago, I got lost. I was looking for a place to get my laundry done and wrote the wrong address down.

A person walking by me on the sidewalk could see I was confused. She stopped and wanted to know if she could help. Bottom line: She walked me to where I needed to go.

This is just one example of someone helping me over here. I’m a stranger in Newport; the people here can see it and want to help. Can you imagine that happening in downtown
Cincinnati?

As for staying here, we’ll see. I’ve lived in Cincinnati for too long to give up on it, but I gotta tell you: I’m appreciating all this niceness I’m getting in Newport.

- Larry Gross

(Photo from www.coping.org)

Comments

[Connie]

I've lived in Northern Kentucky for the past five years. People over here know how to smile.

[hard as nails]

newport makes a great cigarette.

[Dee]

This will sound corny I know but if you're happier in Newport then that's where you should live.

[jackula]

welcome, larry. yeah, it's nice over here, people smile, say good morning. what do you call that -- being southern? is ky a southern state? but being nice to another person is common over here. i hope yo stay.

[brian]

if you're happy, i'm happy. move out of cincy and don't let the door hit ya.

[jackie]

Cincinnati has been annoying for you for years. Why not move forward?

[David E. Gallaher]

Alexis de Toqueville back in about 1831 was one of the first to observe the drastic difference the Ohio River divides between two cultures/ethnic groups at the mouth of the Licking, Losantiville.

One thing you could accomplish while marooned on the edge of briarhopperdom, Larry, is to make that Mexican Taqueria on Monmouth Street a little more user-friendly. Last time the Little Woman and I had lunch there they had the thermostat set almost as low as we keep it here in our humble haciendo.
I like meats like brains, goat and/or tongue on my burrito, which they offer, but I don't want to be wearin' my parka and mukluks.

Have you sucked up to TV Peloso yet?

[Snarky R Dog]

Oh yea, because Cincinnatians are so, you know, New York....