A Whole New Meaning to "Zoo City"

Today would have been Pop's 76th birthday.

This morning, without provocation, a friend of mine sent me a story from the Courier-Tribune. 

I had actually seen the headline late last night while web-surfing - about a bar fight early yesterday morning in Asheboro - but wasn't in the mood to take the story on.  Moreover, the Courier withheld the name of the bar from the blurb above its paywall . . . a smooth move no doubt designed to entice people to buy a subscription so they can really be in the know about life in our little town city whatever the Mayor & City Council want us to be today.

Turns out, the story behind the paywall was brief and downplayed the incident.  The fight was at Zoo City Saloon, on North Fayetteville Street, and broke out just before 2 AM.  Nearly twenty people were involved, several hurt seriously enough to take the bus to Randolph Hospital - including someone who had their ear nearly severed by a broken bottle. 

At "press time" (one has to laugh as you envision what the term means at the Courier), it was not clear if charges against anyone had been filed.

A week or so ago, whilst on a late night errand to pick up dog food, my "ex" found himself smack-dab in the middle of a lesser incident in the Walmart parking lot.

And there you have it.  This kind of thing, increasing in frequency and severity, is Bob Morrison's - and Steven Schmidly's - and all of the "right" people's "vision" (remember that world) of Asheboro.  Drunks and barfights.  More "business" for the hospital and the Courthouse.

But I'm not seeing the new, fabulous "big-name" restaurants or Zoo convention centers, or even a good Fresh Market or Harris Teeter go up.  I've not seen our "family-oriented" small town "re-vitalized" by making the purchase of alcohol easier. 

Nor have I seen a boatload of doctors flock to Randolph Hospital just because we've got booze on every street corner now (although it appears a trauma surgeon mignt not be a bad idea . . . I know, I made a funny).  Of course, I'd be worried about the doctors if booze was the big draw.

But wait!  We are getting a fancy new Sheetz gas station on the already-saturated, uber-congested highway 64 (why don't they put these things on 220 exits?).  Pause for ooing and awing.

As the delicate balance of Randolph County's economic ecosystem shifted, I have also watched businesses in Randleman - and the town itself - struggle with the loss of revenue.  La Familia Schmidly didn't warn us about that.  Of course, we're not supposed to care.  It's just Randleman (a "lesser" town like Seagrove).

Not Asheboro's problem. 

And it's all okay.  Because Brooke's on the Asheboro ABC Board.  She's very important now dontcha know.  I hear she cares about ethics too (it's clearly not something she got from her Father).

Big fish, stagnant pond.