[UA] America by Prime Time (was Greetings)

[Patrick O'Duffy]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bailey Watts" <didi_mau at hotmail.com>


> As a curiosity, do you have what Americans call "gated communities" over
in
> Oz?  I've seen them for a decent portion of my life, but I still think
> they're just weird.  There's gotta be something highly UAble about them,
but
> I've never managed to actually get into one so I couldn't write a
sourcebook
> on one or anything like that.

They took their time, but we have them now. They seem to slightly less
airtight and secure than the US versions, but they're still scary.

A couple of years ago, I went to visit a friend, but got slightly lost along
the way - I'd never been to their house before, and they lived a far way
from the bus stop. So I'm wandering, and I grab a sandwich and Coke from a
service station.

As I wander, I find myself walking through a gated community - one without
gates on the main street, but gates on the houses and side streets. I'm
trying to find a bin for my trash, but there isn't one. Anywhere. Because, I
realized, such things are only for people who don't live in the compound.
And if you don't live there, YOU AREN'T WELCOME.

And there's no-one visible, and there are these little plastic turrets on
each corner, and I'm still lost, and, and...

I almost had a panic attack, and this utter conviction that at any moment, a
black van would pull up beside me, and men in faceless black helmets would
pull me inside and I'd never be seen again.

Found my friend's place 10 minutes later, a few blocks past the compound.
But _nothing_ in my life has ever frightened me as much as those few
minutes.

--
Patrick O'Duffy, Brisbane, Australia

Brothers and sisters, I have a dream. Journalism is a ticket to ride, to
travel deep into the dark heart of the pictures you see on your TV and
feeds. And I'm going to take you on a ride with me. A short weird ride into
the heart of darkness.

 - Spider Jerusalem, TRANSMETROPOLITAN #35


_______________________________________________
UA mailing list
UA at lists.uchicago.edu
http://lists.uchicago.edu/mailman/listinfo/ua