I think every time I visit a city I will share why that city is not Bustleburg. I went to Rochester. Here's how it compares to America's worst city:
The Zoo: Rather Bustleburgian although there were no animals running loose or devouring zookeepers. Seneca Park Zoo was sad. Snow leopards in tiny enclosures. A depressed rhino, although to be fair, I'm not a rhino psychiatrist. The most Bustleburgian aspect was the totem pole, made by an artist from the Pacific Northwest (so nowhere near Rochester). Part of the piece honored women -- "just like we honor Susan B. Anthony right here in Rochester!" Somehow they also decided part of the totem pole referred to the camera and Eastman Kodak. The leap to grasp at these non-connections was highly Bustleburg.
Rochester Museum & Science Center: Impressive. Their exhibit on racism in popular culture (advertising, art, film) was brilliant. Their thoughtful exhibit on DNA and the ethics of its uses was eye-opening. Bustleburg would shut all that down. Too controversial. Too upsetting. We don't want to think about such things here.
Memorial Gallery of Art: Beautiful. I liked it as much as Buffalo's museum and more than Portland, Oregon's. Bustleburg doesn't believe in museums, especially not something as subversive as art. I'm working on a story for Book 2 about this though. Bustleburg may be forced to have a museum. Back to Rochester: For a smaller city, this museum has a tremendous collection of European art. I probably spent two hours there and could have spent more. Their film, Nosferatu, referencing the vampire film of the same name and on the treatment of the mentally ill, was well-done. Much too socially aware for Bustleburg
Eastman House: A little Bustleburgian. Based on the tour guide's lecture, George Eastman was fussy and aristocratic enough to fit in with the old money Burnsvale crowd in Bustleburg. He might have been too much of a philanthropist though. His hunting trophies would have been popular in Bustleburg. It's established there's not much art in Bustleburg at all, but they do like hats made with feathers from endangered birds. So next they'll be sure to have hunting trophy parties.
Susan B. Anthony House: Celebrating a woman who fought for equal rights? And for the rights of African-Americans, too? Active racism is too brutal for humor fiction, I think, but, let's face it, anything that could change the status of The Haves in Bustleburg is not for them. I wonder how the prominent women of Bustleburg would feel about running for office? Queen Zina would support it, I imagine, as long as no one does anything to upend Mayor Kakisto. Most of the other women are busy oppressing free thought through their support of Reverend Maple. Susan B. Anthony was pro-temperance. Hmm, if she was also anti-chocolate, Bustleburg would definitely approve. However, she was too independent, she didn't get married, and she was outspoken. They wouldn't kick her out of Bustleburg, but they'd certainly gossip about her behind her back.
Rochester also didn't have multiple fires, bank robberies, toxic cloud disasters, or infestations of swamp monsters. At least while I was there. Congrats, Rochester. You are a good city. You are not like Bustleburg.
