West Memphis…Arkansas?

VIEWPOINT

By RALPH HARDIN

Evening Times Editor

Admittedly, I’m not much of a world traveler, so I don’t get around to many exotic locales. But when I do, I seem to invariably end up in a conversation with someone that will eventually end up at, “So, where are you from?”

If I’m in the general area of Arkansas or the Memphis area, I’ll say Marion, because that’s is, in fact, where I’m from. But if it’s further out, say New Orleans or St. Louis or Atlanta, I usually say West Memphis. It’s simpler because basically everyone has heard of Memphis and a general understanting of how geography works will guide them to figuring out where West Memphis is.

Except, because of the name, a lot of people ger a little confused. Case in point: last Monday, my boss sent me up to Dyersburg, Tennessee, to the offices of the State Gazette, the See VIEWPOINT, page A6 VIEWPOINT

From page A4

newspaper there, also owned by Paxton Media. The editor there is leaving and they need someone to fill in while they find a replacement (on a side note, if you know anyone in the newspaper industry looking to make a move…).

Anyway, as I was talking to the staff there, eventually, someone asked where I was from. Well actually, they asked, “What part of Memphis are you from?” So they had already been given a little bit of an idea. So when I explained that I was actually from West Memphis, and then added, “which is actually right across the river in Arkansas,” some of them were completely shocked at the idea for some reason. And it’s not unusual at all for this to happen.

And I get it. There probably aren’t too many cities named after a neighboring city in another state (I guess maybe Texarkana, but that’s a whole other weird deal.

Now a lot of the time, when I mention West Memphis and people are somewhat familiar with it, I usually get questions about the West Memphis 3 murder case, and again, I get it. It’s a prety fascinating case. But this time around, I got a much different take. When one of the staff asked the another guy if he knew West Memphis was in Arkansas, he said, “Oh, yeah. That’s where Sid Vicious is from.”

I look forward to getting to know these people…