On
our recent trip around the USA, we took an Amtrak train from Chicago to Dallas, stopping for much of a day in St Louis, Missouri. We got off the train, stored our luggage, and started walking towards the one landmark everyone could name – The Arch. We walked what appeared to be the downtown, large office buildings, stately government offices, large plazas with fountains. The day was cool, but sunny and dry. The streets were clean, and utterly empty of people. Few cars were on the road. We looked at each other, remarking on this. “It’s not as though it’s lunchtime on a workday.” It was one pm on Thursday. Where were the workers? Where were the good folk of St Louis going about their business? We never did get an answer.
