Christmas shopping in Ferguson

On Saturday, I went Christmas shopping in Ferguson. I have not seen Ferguson since the terrible violence occurred there. I wanted to see the concrete remains of what happened, but I did not want to be voyeuristic or intrusive. Then I realized that being a consumer is the one relationship a capitalistic society continues to value under almost all conditions.

So I decided, along with my friend Phyllis, to see if we could go Christmas shopping in Ferguson. One friend said,” There won’t be anything to buy “. “If there are businesses open”, I said,” then that’s what people on my list will receive.” I hope they will appreciate the thought.

The sights in Ferguson were more surprising and somber than I imagined. After driving along W. Florissant Rd. with buildings burned to the ground and others boarded up and closed, we turned onto Canfield Dr. Passing a hand-made sign saying “Slow Down”, we spotted a makeshift Memorial in the center of the street.

Stopping in an adjacent apartment building’s parking lot, we left the car and walked around the area on foot. Several other people were moving around the Memorial to Michael Brown made of teddy bears, flowers, and baseball caps. We quietly acknowledge each other’s presence, as the sadness hung in the air.

Next, we drove to the Ferguson Market and Liquor store where Michael Brown took some cigarillos and which had been vandalized after the Grand Jury reported no charges in the case. A young man held the door for us as we entered. I bought a thermal T-shirt. Phyllis bought a Lottery ticket and a bottle of wine. As I checked out, the man behind the counter said, “We really appreciate it”. I wished him a Merry Christmas. As we left, another young man held the door for us.

Across the street, we entered STL Cordless, a small storefront selling a variety of electronic accessories and scented oil burners. A man asked if he could help us, and I said we wanted to look around and do some Christmas shopping. As I examined a cellphone charger, he explained that they separated the USB cable from the plugs because most customers just wanted the cable. While it usually sold for $15, he offered me the” Christmas special” for $10. I thanked him.

The young man who was attending to the scented oil burners was thrilled to sell me the combo pack, which included burner, candles, and oil. Phyllis found a case for her cell phone. As we left, we all wish each other Happy Holidays and a better new year.

All of the restaurants on West Florissant, except McDonald’s, were boarded up and closed. So we drove to S. Florissant Rd. where the City Hall and police department are located. Most of the businesses near them were boarded up and closed. Several artists were adding to the brightly colored murals that had been painted on boards.

Some distance away on S. Ferguson, we had lunch at the Ferguson Brewing Company. I bought a T-shirt , baseball cap, and coasters with the company logo. We had a pleasant conversation reviewing our experience. Both of us felt grateful that our fear and trepidation had turned to warmth and connection with the people we had met.

Before going to Ferguson, I was depressed by both Christmas shopping and debates about Ferguson. I cannot find the entertainment value in either.

Sometimes two negatives can make a positive if you stay aware of each and” Slow Down.” I don’t know what the next steps are, but I know this is a beginning to truly understanding what is happening here.

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