Running Off at the Mouth: Everyone is an Expert!

It has been an interesting experience to have a small store in the lower level of a historical building in a tourist town.

Since we have a long hallway outside, and often leave the door open... there are all sorts of things I get to overhear, as I sit here.

Architectural detail on one of our old buildings downtown...

Just the Facts!

Because I'm a curious sort, I did take some time to become familiar with the history of both our downtown and this building, when we first set up shop here. I have looked at lots of "period" photos at our Historical Museum, I've read old newspaper articles, I've talked to people whose families have owned downtown real estate since the 1800's.

It was an interesting education that took me through the various phases of our town's history; I learned where the "Houses of Ill Repute" were really located from studying old fire department maps (brothels were considered "low priority" response areas), and what each building was used for.

Our gallery was actually in the equivalent of an old cold storage basement; the closest thing to a 19th century "walk-in cooler" you could get.

And that's the whole building, across the street from our store location

Experts Agree That...

What makes it interesting is to listen to just how many people walking past our open door hold forth about the history of town, and of this building and that, like they are "authoritative experts" on everything... while actually being completely WRONG about everything they say!

"Yeah, this used to be at street level, but they raised the city!"

No. This area was "raised" 40 years before any of the current buildings were put here.

"The green shelter at the top of the stairs dates back to when they were going to put in the railroads here!"

NOT a subway station...

No. There was no train line here; the train track stopped at the top of the escarpment, a mile away.

"The tunnels down here were used to shanghai sailors from the brothels up above!"

No. There was never a brothel in this building.

And so on and so forth.

Ghost stories often figure heavily in some of these descriptions. That part I am not at liberty to discuss! After all, our town has made quite a name for itself as a "Haunted Victorian Seaport" and I have no intention of raining on that particular parade.

But some of the other "claims" are just patently incorrect!

More architectural detail, in the afternoon sun...

The Way We Use Speech...

Now, this post isn't really about ragging on our tourists, but more an exploration of how we use speech; how we tend to just shot random stuff out into the universe we really know nothing about... and yet we say what we say with the sort of "Convincing Authority" that makes us sound like experts.

Having spent the bulk of my childhood and adolescence around adults who seemed to be eternally — if you'll pardon my bluntness — full of shit, I have always been very cautious to fact check before opening my mouth and even pretending to know what I am talking about.

Evidently, that makes me bit of a strange bird.

According to more than a few, it evidently also makes me a pretty dull bird.

I suppose it's a matter of perspective, but I just find it interesting to consider how we use language and statements to create truths that aren't truths. Not in the dirty rotten liar sense, but just to create illusions about ourselves and what we know.

Thanks for reading!

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Created at 190616 17:20 PST
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