20 Leaving Allentown

Allentown, PA | 07.November.2015

Billy Joel knew of what he sang.

We spent time in this city over a weekend, an audition for my daughter at Muhlenberg College. The university sits within a beautiful campus and is a world unto itself. Literally. Beyond that, there was little else we found about this place that wasn’t simply depressing, and we tried.

While our daughter was occupied with the machinations of potential university life, my wife and I found an Italian restaurant situated within a sad little strip mall… all of the strip malls were sad. Our meal, like the restaurant, was bereft of flavor. I sat back and looked around. No one seemed to be particularly moved, chewing and swallowing and driven only by the need for sustenance. We left our half eaten plates and drove about 3 miles to a McDonalds.

Back at the hotel, evening and time to eat again. I actually dreaded the idea. One of the employees suggested a place called “The Chicken Lounge.”

My heart sank.
”The Chicken Lounge.”

He assured us that it was the best option available at that hour, so away we went.

This joint was situated in (another) rundown strip mall, behind two faded orange metal doors. Surprisingly, the vibe at the Chicken Lounge seemed wholly out of step with the general Allentown populace. Its patrons reminded me of hanging out in Chicago’s “Boystown,” though many were decidedly middle aged – like Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in that excellent film, The Birdcage.

The food was better, and despite its name, we had burgers. Most importantly, the bar was decent and they were rather generous with the pour. Still, just beyond the food and the drink and the people, the weight of life in an economically devastated factory town could be found in every corner.

The residue of betrayal. American Dream, denied.

“Well I'm living here in Allentown

And it's hard to keep a good man down

But I won't be getting up today…”

-Billy Joel

I captured these geese flying overhead. Twenty by my count, they appeared to be leaving Allentown. We soon followed, albeit in a more pedestrian fashion.