This is the Virginia Military Institute on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia.

The Virginia Military Institute on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia.

Kara and I jump out of the car and we run up the doors into Kilbourne Hall. This must be a military institute.  Right away there is an oil portrait of an imposing man in a military uniform with a lot of medals in the hallway.  The place is pretty empty and echoes like a high school gym.  We head down a few steps past a replica of a military cannon and into the NAVY ROTC office.    No one seems to be around.

We creep our heads around into a few offices and find a woman working at a desk.

“Hi, we’re here doing a documentary of the 10,000 Main Streets across the country and we’re looking to talk to someone to tell us where we are and what this place is.”  She seems friendly at first, but she turns out to be giving us a fake form of Southern Hospitality.

This woman is not convinced that we’re on a Main Street,  “I don’t think we’re on a Main Street here.” We said we noticed a Main Street sign but we could be wrong.  “Well I’m pretty sure it’s not Main Street, but what would I know, I’ve only lived here my entire life.”

The Virginia Military Institute, on the corner of Main and Diamond streets.

Eventually CDR Mark Martin, a USN Executive Officer with the Naval ROTC Unit,
is brought over and tells us where we are.  He’s incredibly nice, shy, even.  Turns out his wife works on Main Street at a fancy linen store.  They’re not going to be living in Lexington much longer.  He’s being transferred to Washington D.C. in a few months.  We find out a little about the Virginia Military Institute, head out of Kilbourne Hall and walk along Main Street and take pictures.

Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia.

Cutting the grass at the Virginia Military Institute on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia.

A truck on Main Street at the Virginia Military Institute on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia.

We’re up in the cute renovated part of downtown now. We spot an older woman ducking out of a bakery with a large bag.  She’s scurrying up the street in a hurry because it’s just starting to rain.

“Hello! What are you doing on this Main Street?”

Her name is Judy Deadrick.  She bought four lemon pies for her retirement home’s book club.

“There’s no particular book everyone has to read, just read a book and talk about it, we’re not really like a normal book club.”

“What did you read?”

“I read a biography of Sandra Day O’Connor.”

Judy lives in the retirement home close by.  She used to live in New York City in the East Village.  Around Bowery and 10th street.  “A lot of bums used to live around there.  It’s very different now.”  She likes Lexington.  “It’s quiet.”

I wish we could join her for the book club meeting.  I feel bad too because it’s starting to really rain now.  Kara busts out the umbrella and holds it over her head.  We escort Judy to her car so she doesn’t get wet and then leave.