Where the Johns Are

The Riverfront Times explores St. Louis' low-rent, by-the-hour hotels. Along the way, we meet a doctoral student who "hardly seems your average crack-whore enthusiast," plus "a loquacious, philosophical lawman who bears more than a passing resemblance to the comic actor Leslie Nielsen."

Comments

[Tiny]

Joe:

This article isn't even about East St. Louis, which is on the Illinois side of the Mississippi. Its about St. Louis proper.

[joe]

Ah - this is all in the "good" part. Yikes.

[Lefty]

Sadly, there's not a lot of difference anymore. In fact, East St Louis has a better view.

[twistedmerkin]

Fun read. That a white, middle-class guy in his thirties would smoke crack and bang crackwhores isn't surprising. But that he would do it while a journalist watches, that is surprising. I think it's another piece of work by Greg Packer.

[Lefty]

In one of my former lives I was a parole officer in north St. Louis. The area this writer describes was my back yard and he very accurately described the almost complete implosion of this once-great city.

There is a city ordinance that requires all city employees to reside in the city limits. All the cops, firefighters and teachers huddle up in the far south corner of the city, send their kids to private schools and keep their windows and doors barred. All the city resources were spent on tax breaks and TIF zones to dress up downtown where nobody lives, to attract the County folks who will drop a hundred bucks for a few hours of fun at a ballgame or a sports bar, all owned by other County folks.

Peter isn't the only rich kid who likes to come play in this dangerous little playground.

[Keith]

"Bob Reuter". Sounds like a journalistic pseudonym to me. Just call me Joe Cnn or Bill Associated Press?

[Brad S]

I'm reminded of the movie "Vacation" where Clark W. Griswold is lost in East St. Louis and asks for directions. The guy giving directions, after collecting $20 from Mr. Griswold, tells him to go up the street and ask his cousin because, "Man, you don't even wanna know from me. This ain't even my neighborhood. I'm from the south side of Chicago, here on vacation."

[joe]

And once the crack wears off, and he's done with the hookers, he goes home to the suburbs and talks about what a shithole East St. Louis is.

Asshole.

[Brad S]

joe - I agree. I mean, if you're gonna use East St. Louis goods and services, the least you can do is have the decency to recommend said goods and services to your friends!

[joe]

You're not helping!