If there should prove to be one real, living Free State Democrat in Kansas, I suggest that it might be well to catch him and stuff and preserve his skin as an interesting specimen of that soon-to-be-extinct variety of the genus Democrat.
— Abraham Lincoln
Sometimes, when I visit my family in Kansas, that’s what I feel like — a soon-to-be-extinct Democrat. The state — and my family — are Trump supporters. But I love ’em, and the first stop on my June 2019 road trip is Ulysses, in the southwest corner of Western Kansas, where sister Shirley and brother Gary live.
Kansas — at least Western Kansas — is flat, flat, flat and nary a tree in sight.
Occasional visual relief . . . Tall white granaries that signal a small town ahead . . . Irrigation systems that resemble giant insects from an alien planet . . . Wind turbines that harness the fierce winds that blow across the plains. Sometimes, when the wind blows in the wrong direction, I get a whiff of a feedlot. Makes me rethink that bacon cheeseburger I planned to have tonight.
Ulysses, Kansas, Population 6,000, Elevation 3,051 feet.
As I neared Ulysses, my sister texted me there was a thunderstorm in progress. I could see the black sky up ahead so I stopped in Holly, Colorado, 20 miles from the Kansas state line, and looked for an alternate route.
I found one and headed south on County Road 89, a two-lane, no-shoulder ribbon that cuts through wheat fields and ends up in Johnson City, Kansas, 21 miles west of Ulysses.
I arrived in Ulysses as the storm clouds receded and and spent two perfect summer days in Kansas lovingly absorbed in Family.
On Sunday night Shirley cooked a yummy lasagna. After dinner we stuck our toes into the political waters: Gary touted Trump’s latest power grab. I called Trump a wanna-be dictator. Gary said, So?
There is a glimmer of hope. Shirley likes Joe Biden. She bought his book, and she’s reading Michele Obama’s book — and likes it! Gary’s wife Bonnie thinks Mayor Pete is “interesting” although we didn’t delve into exactly what “interesting” meant.
On Monday night we all went to Alejandro’s for dinner. I think there were 13 of us at the big round table in the corner. Beto was right . . . Alejandro’s is excellent. I had the best chicken and cheese enchiladas outside of Texas.
Beto Who?
Corporate East Hotel is the best hotel in Ulysses. It’s where Beto O’Rourke stayed on his “finding myself” journey after losing the Texas Senate race to Ted Cruz.
Why did he stop in Ulysses?
Beats me, but he did, and wrote about it in his blog (he also stopped in Taos on the same trip).
Beto, on Alejandro’s:
“The rule in El Paso is that you don’t eat Mexican food outside of El Paso. But glad I made an exception. Alejandro’s was excellent. Carne asada tacos.”
Beto, at The Tavern (the bar next door to Corporate East Hotel)
“I walked in and took a seat at the bar, said a quick, probably nervous, hello to everyone and ordered a beer . . . . two seats down to my right the guy says do people ever tell you that you look like Beto O’Rourke?
I said yes, all the time.
The guy next to him says who the hell is Beto O’Rourke?
First guy says oh he ran against Ted Cruz in Texas, and goes on to talk about Beto O’Rourke and I’m worried that it’s going to get weird and so I say sorry I meant to say that I am Beto O’Rourke.
No shit! Laughter.
And the guy to my left says oh I wish my uncle was here, he’s one of the four Democrats in Ulysses.”
When I checked in at Corporate East, I asked the desk clerk if she had been there when Beto O’Rourke came in.
“Beto who?”
“Beto O’Rourke — he’s running for President.”
She looked at me blankly. “Never heard of him.”
Annie in Kansas
What did Annie do in Kansas?
On Sunday afternoon she shared my coffee ice cream cone from Ice Cream Shop Paleteria — a tiny place that offers 18 flavors (and it’s not a chain).
The rest of the time she tried to out-bark Shirley’s three chihuahuas: Wrigley, Bendi and Pepper.
Wrigley, the only male, kept trying to sniff Annie’s butt. Which she didn’t much like. But after a few hours the doggies settled down and co-existed.
Sort of like me and the Family when it comes to politics.
Doesn’t Wrigley’s expression remind you of Nathan Lane?
Pros and Cons of Ulysses
Pros: Alejandro’s Mexican Restaurant . . . the amazing flaky scones at Bear Creek Bakery, better than any I’ve ever had . . . the chicken salad and virtually any of the pies at the Mennonite-owned Wagon Wheel Cafe and Bakery . . . and best of all, my Family and a lifetime of memories.
Cons: The relentless wind . . . the flat, treeless land . . . the constant threat of tornadoes in the spring . . . the dearth of Democrats.
Maybe Abe Was Wrong
Looks like Democrats in Kansas aren’t soon-to-be-extinct after all. Kansas has a new female governor, Laura Kelly, a Democrat. And Sharice Davids, a Democrat and Native American, became the first openly LGBTQ Kansan elected to Congress.
Go Dems!
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