Monday, July 13, 2009

Arivaca Memories

Although I had no job, money or girlfriend my two years in Arivaca were two of the best in my life. Despite being out in the desert I actually had very good access to research materials. Mary Kasulaitis and Jeanne Ferris at the local Arivaca library had an uncanny ability to get material on inter-library loan. I also had a lot of free time. That meant that I could get a lot of writing done. I also could get a lot of reading done. Every Sunday I would spend all day out in the Chicken Shack smoking my hookah and reading. The weather in Arivaca was almost always conducive to such activities. Finally, the natural beauty of Arivaca and the friendly nature of its people is something I have never found elsewhere. I do not miss having no money or girlfriend, but I do miss Arivaca.

3 comments:

Chris O'Byrne said...

I loved the Chicken Shack and I miss smoking the hookah with you and eating wings with prickly pear syrup and hot sauce. Mmmm...

WR said...

As you know, I was recently trying to get a job at a community college in Arizona at the expense of my "prestigious" job at an elite private college just so I could move back to Arizona.

I've been visiting my old friends in Phoenix quite a bit lately, and the people there are more friendly and easygoing than anywhere else I've ever been. And the natural beauty is incomparable--even the sky has a different color there than here in southern California. I'm beginning to think Arizona is the best place in the world.

J. Otto Pohl said...

Chris: The Chicken Shack did Rock!

Walt: Yes the sky in southern Arizona is beautiful. I especially like the bright pink sunsets.

Even by Arizona standards the people of Arivaca are extremely friendly and easygoing. In a very real sense it is the last bit of real America surviving the total obliteration of community values by commercialism.