About a month ago, against my will, I was transported to a foreign country. I was stripped of all my personal belongings and forced to don the national uniform: red trousers (elastic waist band, no pockets), red short sleeved blouse/shirt with one breast pocket (left side), orange socks and caramel colored plastic sandals. Tim Gunn's (TV's Fashion Police) eyes would roll back in his head and he would faint dead away...no doubt! Martha Stewart could not "fix" this outfit. Oh, I also have an ID bracelet with hot pink polka dots and my photo on it. Think of any Communist country, 1950's or so - the tribe in this country all look the same. Did you know that China uses capitalism to maintain its communism? Mmm...a future blog perhaps? I do not understand the language, the culture, the economic system, the mores, the hierarchy or any of the card games in this country. AND, may I add, the card games are played endlessly. As I attempt to amalgamate myself into this society, I will explain what I learn. Let's start here with a few vocabulary words:
I have watched my new currency/economic system over the past weeks and I am still confused. But then, I would bet many Americans do not understand their economic system either... that includes me! Let me give you an example. On Monday, I could exchange one piece of soft, white bread (think Wonder!) for a hard boiled egg. By Tuesday, I might be able to get two eggs plus a packet of jelly. Is this what Alan Greenspan would call "hyper-inflation"?? As you can see, I have designated myself the Silent Witness and Chronicler for this foreign country and my new tribe and I am determined to report ALL that I learn. It's 5:45AM on December 1, 2014 and I think in a previous blog, I mentioned that I miss being in/with Nature. If I didn't, it is true that I do! I hunger to feel the sand under my feet as I watch an ocean sunset. I ache to hear aspen leaves whisper at the urging of an early morning breeze. There's more but you get the idea. Losing the right to be out in Nature hurts my Spirit. Today I realized there is another layer of loss. This Jail (building) is sound proof. The freeway is less than 100 yards away and I was watching the morning traffic through a tiny slit of a window near my bunk. The "slit window" faces east. I saw an 18-wheel truck avoid an accident by locking its brakes. Smoke poured from the tires as the truck came to a stop. He missed the VW by a few feet - WHEW!! While watching this "movie", I was aware that I did NOT hear the sounds of traffic, the honking horns or the squealing tires. It was as though I was watching a silent film! Jail, it seems, is a modified sensory deprivation "tank". This awareness of my sound proof world assaulted my heart...one more freedom taken away. The luxury of sound...one that I used to take for granted! As my mind started to spiral down, I heard my son speak to me. Before I was taken into custody, he said to me... "Be strong, Dad. You can do this." YES I CAN! The lure of Nature Brings a smile to my heart. My cathedral waits. *"Rabbit rabbit rabbit" is one variant of a common British superstition which states that a person should say or repeat the word "rabbit" or "rabbits", or "white rabbits", or some combination of these elements, out loud upon waking (or first moment) on the first day of the month, because doing so will ensure good luck for the duration of that month.
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AuthorPatrick Michael Leonard Archives
August 2020
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