I strolled around the grounds and didn't feel at home

I went to St Louis this week for a short trip and a "picture out of the window" of the hotel room" (The tall white building on the left). Over a lot of years I have had a lot of these type of short business trips. The hotel I was in had 26 floors and my room was up 23 floors. The top floor was a restaurant with a full view surrounded by a deck with no roof and just a glass wall. The deck overlooked the ballpark, Busch Field, and looked right into the park. In the other direction from the hotel was the large downtown enclosed foot ball stadium. Sitting on the top floor late Thursday looking out at the town reminded me of so many trips I have taken and the many many parts of the world that I have had the experience of seeing this way.............

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It was a quick trip with it's visit to the down town and to the top of a tall building and then later on the far side of the river a large plant. Landmarks marking the view and the striking difference between the best that the town presents and the coldness of the streets and neighborhoods that really surround where your at if you were to go out on the street and really take the chance of being alone.

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I am reminded of the movie the "Graduate" when Ben was upstairs and his Dad, Mr. Braddock, who was trying to get him to come downstairs. Ben suggested he was worried about his future and his Dad answered the question of concern for his future by telling him " I just want to say one word to you"..........."Plastics". That was the answer, the solution, maybe the real indicator of the future. Looking back to that time and thinking some about the word, "Plastics", is especially interesting or maybe revealing. Plastic's of course were for that time the Silicon Valley type of destination for success for young people and perhaps was good council, then. The fact that Ben was not really interested in his financial future but his own life is pretty clear. The lyrics of the song help put it in perspective. The movie may have through these comments helped us "look around and see with sympathetic eyes and to stroll around the grounds until you feel at home. Then add to that all that has happened around us and all that our supercities or culture may be is, indeed "plastic". Plastic in the sense that it is less than real.........................................

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And here's to you, Mrs Robinson

Jesus loves you more than you will know

God bless you, please Mrs Robinson

Heaven holds a place for those who pray

Hey, hey, hey

We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files

We'd like to help you learn to help yourself

Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes,

Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home