"So f*ck the FCC. f*ck the FBI. f*ck the CIA.
I'm livin' in the motherfucking U.S.A."
- Steve Earle, "The Revolution Starts Now"
HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN, U.S.A - "I was either going to f*cking move or f*cking change this town."
That is Richard Wunsch, the owner of Volume One Books of Hillsdale, Michigan.
"And I haven't done either."
But he keeps trying.
Geezuz, that means ... everything.
Wunsch has been a first and second grade teacher in Chicago. He has been a block layer, factory worker. He is a radical, a member of the intelligentsia of the United States. There definitely is such a thing. I am finding that out.
Wunsch is wearing a union jacket while he sits in his bookstore and visits with me and Aimee England - who "runs everything" at the store - as well as visitors strolling in and out of the busy place in downtown Hillsdale, in southern Michigan.
Wunsch talks Steven into sticking around and hearing the rest of my talk. Steven is a young comic, musician, writer. He works at a grocery store right now. He is an "Army brat", raised in Hawaii, Germany, etc. He has a wife. He is concerned about the world, aware. He bought a book.
And there was this young man over in Chicago, who stopped by to listen to me at Revolution Books. He is from Florida, graduated from high school eight months ago, came to Chicago, by himself, to be an actor. He asked me what I think about global warming.
These guys have guts, creativity, heart. I'm not sh*tting you, it is my absolute pleasure to be able to meet people like this. Wow.
I have met a lot of people like this in the month I have been on the road.
Anthony Rayson, also in Chicago, Lou Downey, Michael Stanek, and on and on. "Chicago Jim" from Bartcop.com stopped by at Barbara's Books and gave me a care package for my journey. How great was that? That gesture is going to take me about four states just on its own. I probably won't even use any gas.
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