Don Gaines

I recently acquired an Arkansas driver’s license. This sounds like no big deal, especially since my Tennessee license had been invalid since March 13. It seems to be in my favor because I can legally drive again and when the liquor store attendant asks for my id there won’t be any problems. Well believe me, those things are the least of my worries. I’m getting older and less id’d as the days go by. I don’t have a car anymore and in April I was pulled over in TN with an expired license (from TN) and the cop made no mention of it, so, really, least of my worries. The big worry to me is: Why in the world am I still in this state?

It may not make sense to you but growing up in Tennessee we always pointed to Arkansas and said, “Hey, at least we’re not them, right?!? They’re the ones who actually marry their cousins!” Even while going to school here all I could think about native Arkansans was, “stupid rednecks.” Ever since I began college the plan was: get through school, spend as much time in Pennsylvania as possible, graduate and get the heck out of this state…the South in general. Pennsylvania spoiled me. I fell in love with the Northeast. Sure, I’ve been to the Northwest and it’s gorgeous but there’s something about the NE that calls my name. It’s Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Washington DC and the other cities/states (Boston, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island) I’ve yet to discover.

2010 marks my 7th year of living in Arkansas for at least 9 months out of a year. Now I’ve got a whole new set of commitments and people that make me want to stay. I honestly sort of hate Arkansas, but isn’t that how it is with any place? You only criticize the things you care about, so maybe I sort of secretly care about Arkansassy? I’m now an official resident and it kills me… kills me. I was never meant to stay here, but it happened. I don’t like the idea of ‘letting life happen to you’ but that seems to be the case. I made the choice to move to Little Rock because I knew it’d be an easy transition into ‘the real world,’ but I never foresaw being here this long. Though I must admit I’m not really too sad about it because I’ve made incredible friends, some expected, some unexpected. My job’s full of good people and the hardcore scene is on the up and up with Sam taking over ownership of Downtown Music. All good things for me to look forward to but in the mean time let me lament and wallow in the sadness of getting an Arkansas license.

P.S. They are so fugly. Can we get a better designer on that? Have you ever seen an Ontario license? Beautiful & readable in comparison.

The Wonder Years- Won’t Be Pathetic Forever
“and some nights I fucking love this town, but most nights I fucking hate this town. Lately I’ve been thinking about being a doctor, or a teacher, lately I’ve been thinking about being somebody else. Lately I’ve been thinking about being a doctor, or a teacher, just someone who changes something (I need to be!), someone who changes something (I gotta be!), someone who changes something…anything.”