Liberty

By Garrison Keillor

Clint Bunsen is the chairman of the Fourth of July committee which is in charge of all the festivities and the parade in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. Last year's parade was a huge success, even getting airtime on CNN. Clint is determined to repeat last year's success but it ain't easy. The other committee members are fighting him every step of the way. They want to bring back the old boring stuff like the reading of the Declaration of Independence and fat old farmers driving their tractors in the parade. Also, Clint has hired professionals to handle the fireworks display instead of letting the volunteer fire fighters do it as in the past. But professionals cost money and the committee is kicking and Clint is getting fed up. He offers his resignation to the committee, not dreaming they will accept it, but they do. So this will be Clint's last year running the Fourth of July celebration.
Clint was surprised that the committee accepted his resignation but maybe it is not such a bad thing. Because Clint is feeling like life has passed him by and that he needs a change. Born and raised in Lake Wobegon and living most of his life there except for his stint in the military, Clint is stagnating. Tired of his job, tired of his wife, Irene, tired of Minnesota and Lake Wobegon, tired even of being of Norweigan heritage, Clint is easy pickings when a hot piece of tail comes sashaying his way, the beautiful young Angelica. She was Miss Liberty in last year's parade when she and Clint struck up an acquaintance that they maintained via the Internet and that eventually ended up in a motel room where Clint discovered he is not quite ready for the graveyard yet. Charmed by Angelica and mislead by a faulty DNA report that informed him he was not Norwegian but in fact Hispanic, Clint has set his sights on going back to California, where he lived when in the military, with Angelica on his arm. He always regretted leaving California and moving back to Lake Wobegon.
So the big day arrives with its various complications and Clint is still in charge and Angelica is in town to reprise her role as Miss Liberty and Clint's wife Irene has gotten hold of a hand gun and someone is going to pay for messing up her marriage.

It's always nice to visit Lake Wobegon whether on the radio or in one of Keillor's books. These small town folks have their biases and their moments like we all do but still, viewed through Keillor's eyes the humor comes through even with the whiny jerks on Clint's committee. Clint's problems are our problems, his disappointments our disappointments and his failures our failures too. Who hasn't thought "what if" or contemplated being in forbidden arms? Who hasn't thought that their life has become a prison they'd give almost anything to escape from? Rooting for Clint to find some happiness and watching him reach his decision was not only a lot of fun but touching too. Liberty was a delight to read and I hope Keillor continues to write books about Lake Wobegon.

For another review of the book see The New York Times.