Thursday, February 5, 2009

Bearing Up in Flint


Here's the freakishly large stuffed bear — courtesy of Flint Journal photographer Bruce Edwards' flamboyant camera angle — in the lobby of the Character Inn c. 2005. Notice the smaller brown bear in the background, stage right. The big guy seems bemused, no doubt wondering how things came to this. One day you're minding your own business in the woods; a few months later you're trapped in Flint surrounded by red carpet and evangelical Christians in a room reminiscent of the L.L. Bean flagship store after a big sale. The dorm rats from UM-Flint would sure have fun with these props — how many shots of Jäger
before you jump in the stagnant wading pool with Yogi? — but something tells me they'll be long gone before the students move in. Too many liability issues. Too bad.



3 comments:

  1. maybe the thumpers and tongue speakers shot ol' bruin because he wouldn't be saved. he belongs in a microbrewery up in gaylord someplace. or some fraternal organization's 'clubhouse'. damn shame to see him like that...he should be out eating peta people and picnicers.

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  2. "Thou shalt not bear false witness..."

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  3. Maybe Mott College (mascot is a Bear ) would be interested in purchasing the Bear and display it in Ballenger Fieldhouse.

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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.