Maile Black: 10 Manchesters

 Maile Black: 10 Manchesters
Pennsylvania
At the café in Manchester, PA, I observed a counter full of men out of work. They talked about jobs and fixing
pipes and the price of gas. I stopped one on his way out and he was only too happy to join me for a cup of
coffee and talk about life in Manchester. His name is John Kunkle. A town in New York is named after his
great-grandfather. John Kunkle is a capable, healthy worker. He believes the recession is receding, and is
confident he will find work before Christmas.
John Kunkle, Manchester PA
Farmlands, Manchester PA
Ohio
Two days later, we had a beautiful dinner at Moyer’s Winery in Manchester, OH, on the Ohio River. Our server
traveled 45 minutes to get to work there each day. Hers was a coveted job, one of the very few left after
decades of flooding and a recession that left the already-compromised town in ruins.
School playground, Manchester OH Our server at Moyer’s Winery, Manchester OH Kentucky We did laundry in Manchester, KY. While the washers churned, I spoke at length with a woman named Gail,
who looked tired but was willing to be interviewed (but not recorded: “you never know who’s going to say what
in this town—it’s not a safe place to gossip”). The higher-paying of her two jobs earned her $8 per hour. This
was a step down from her previous job from which she’d been recently laid off, a really good one that paid over
$10 per hour, in a bank. Gail would have liked to get out of this depressed and sinking hometown, but where
could she go?
Maile and Gail at the Laundromat
Bigger concerns at the middle school, Manchester KY Tennessee When we got to Manchester, TN, on a Sunday, we figured we better get ourselves to church, but which one?
Neither of us is Christian. So we started at the Methodist Church. They were very nice and gave us coffee and
presents afterwards.
Later in the day, we arrived late at the Pentecostal Church (one of many) at the edge of town. It took us a while
to find the door, but we could hear singing inside. We were nervous and excited to discover what lay within,
and our expectations were exceeded.
Lots of people greeted us, many of the women with an embrace. My fears were swept away in the warmth of
their kind openness. Unfortunately, I drew the line at Rod taking a picture, but we did get a recording on our
nifty hand-held recording device. This was a big moment, one of the biggest in my life. I learned a lot that day.
Our gift from the Methodist Church
Susan at the Chamber of Commerce, Manchester TN
Georgia
Finally, Manchester, Georgia. We spoke to a black family at the Laundromat, where the matriarch spoke
eloquently about the political and economic situations in our country. She and her family obviously had little in
the way of material comforts, but they were all tuned in to the reasons why they had so little. She even told me
about how she had tried to make changes at her son’s school, to no effect. These people are virtually
powerless, but they don’t give up trying.
Defunct and abandoned school, Manchester GA
Tornado damage, Manchester GA
There is much to say about the people around our fine country, as observed in six towns named Manchester. I
am in the process of writing a few essays detailing different aspects of our experience. I witnessed an intensity
of God, poverty, beauty, despair, and hope. The kudzu vine we saw strangling every tree along the way could
be an apt metaphor for the desperation we witnessed everywhere we looked. The people we met were, in too
many cases, feeling smothered and powerless. I’d like to write something different. I want to find another
angle, at least by way of balance. I’m seeking, but not finding. Maybe as I write, the silver lining will be
revealed. Wish me luck.
Kudzu vine takes over, Manchester GA