Author notes

Chapter One, Page Eleven

StSean

on July 12, 2012

Matt flies into Erie, PA and unexpectedly meets Colleen there. I really am from Erie, PA, "The Mistake on the Lake" as it is known to the locals (probably the nation).  The town itself is dying and the the council votes on projects to make Erie "a world-class city again" ("again"? When were were ever world-class to begin with?) like extending the airport runway (apparently too short for LaGuardia-like traffic to come here) or expanding the Civic Center or letting the Koehler Brewery shut down and giving away $5 million to a company that said it would be condos there, but then never did and never gave back the money (twice!) or letting [url=http://www.goerie.com/article/20120304/ERIE2012/303049975/Union-leader-not-happy-about-GE's-Texas-investment-but-not-worried-either]GE farm labor out to Texas[/url]..  all guaranteed to bring growth, right?  Right.  

That said, Erie has a great live music scene, tons of artists, and is a relatively cheap place to live (if you have a job.  Any job.).  The population skews old and has no idea what Yelp is, but they're always polite and ready to help out.  We also can't keep a locally owned coffeehouse around over six months.  There is however lots of local beer.  And werewolves.  We have werewolves, too.

Are you young?  Politically adept?  Progressive?  Believe that creating a strong, healthy community is done at the ground level through activism and watchdogging local government?  Then move here.  We have withes and UFOs, too.

The complete trade paperback of "Family Reunion" is available at IndyPlanet for those of you who cannot wait to see how it ends.  The beginning of the second arc (issues 4 through 8) - "Here, There and Nowhere" - can also be found there for purchase.