Chamblee54

The old courthouse in Decatur is nice inside, but not terribly ornate. Aside from the marble walls and stairs, and a spiffy exterior, it is just another old building. It is a reminder that Dekalb used to be a mostly rural county, rather than the neighbor of World Marketing Headquarters. The booths were lined up on N. McDonough, Ponce de Leon, and the plaza by the Marta Station. People were everywhere, especially on the Marta Plaza. There was a children’s stage there. Someone was reading some awful poetry when I walked by. During the questions for the authors, the subject of obituaries was discussed. I got to thinking about the differences in “funeralizing” between white and black. I got to looking around the room, and could not see a single dark face. Later, when the crowd was leaving, I did see a black woman. Self publishing a book is an act of faith. I wonder if people make it worthwhile. There were a bunch of authors who had booths to sell their self published work. I talked to a lady who was telling the story of the courthouse shootings. A publisher told her, I will publish your book if you put in four chapters about Brian Nichols. That wasn’t the story the lady wanted to tell. I hope she sold enough books to justify spending labor day weekend in a booth outdoors. There was people watching galore. People of all ages, colors, and description were there. There were even a few dogs. The dominant type did seem to be the middle aged woman who goes belongs to a book club. There was a booth promoting a place called the Wrens Nest. It was the home of Joel Chandler Harris, who wrote the Uncle Remus books. At one time, the Wrens Nest was a tourist attraction, but has fallen on downhill times. Now, people are trying to bring it back. I mentioned “I have lived here all my life and never been to the Wrens Nest” “I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard that”