Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Here's an experiment - Part 3
Last week, the computer programmer tried to fill the American couple in on their host family's daughter-abduction situation.
Maybe I should backtrack here, because I don't know if I've been completely fair to the American couple. I should have probably made it clear that they weren't stupid or malevolent or bigoted. They weren't southerners, and they weren't plains staters. They weren't too old and they weren't that young. They weren't anything like what you would think of now when you think of Americans, except for the old fashioned ignorant sense of entitlement that's an enduring part of the national character.
On the other hand, they were white, from mixed European backgrounds. A little bit of French in the wife, a little bit of Italian in the husband, a little bit of Irish in the wife, a little bit of German in the husband, a little bit of Norwegian in the wife, and a whole shitload of English in the both of them. Which is why they'd chosen neutral ground for their first visit overseas. That, and because it was cheap.
They also didn't have any children. They'd been married for about seven years, and while they planned on having two kids at some point, they hadn't gotten around to it yet. They'd always imagined that they'd like to travel the world a bit before getting tied down with dependents, and so this trip was a bit of a test--if it went well, the kids would have to wait up in heaven a few more years. If, on the other hand, they found that travel wasn't all it was cracked up to be...
TO BE CONTINUED
Maybe I should backtrack here, because I don't know if I've been completely fair to the American couple. I should have probably made it clear that they weren't stupid or malevolent or bigoted. They weren't southerners, and they weren't plains staters. They weren't too old and they weren't that young. They weren't anything like what you would think of now when you think of Americans, except for the old fashioned ignorant sense of entitlement that's an enduring part of the national character.
On the other hand, they were white, from mixed European backgrounds. A little bit of French in the wife, a little bit of Italian in the husband, a little bit of Irish in the wife, a little bit of German in the husband, a little bit of Norwegian in the wife, and a whole shitload of English in the both of them. Which is why they'd chosen neutral ground for their first visit overseas. That, and because it was cheap.
They also didn't have any children. They'd been married for about seven years, and while they planned on having two kids at some point, they hadn't gotten around to it yet. They'd always imagined that they'd like to travel the world a bit before getting tied down with dependents, and so this trip was a bit of a test--if it went well, the kids would have to wait up in heaven a few more years. If, on the other hand, they found that travel wasn't all it was cracked up to be...
TO BE CONTINUED
// posted by Justus Ballard @ 2:35 PM 
Comments:
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I always thought you'd at the forefront of some movement or other. Jackasserism seems as good as any.
Couldn't sleep last night and ended up trolling around and found a link here. Very odd. Especially as I've suddenly had an influx of Serbs and Croats in my life and your story seems to be taking place around there somewhere.
Also odd that we started blogs at the same time. Very queer.
Couldn't sleep last night and ended up trolling around and found a link here. Very odd. Especially as I've suddenly had an influx of Serbs and Croats in my life and your story seems to be taking place around there somewhere.
Also odd that we started blogs at the same time. Very queer.
well then.
a. real world.
b. berlin's the cheapest place in the world. trust me.
c. small press books make me a bit giddy, so may have to subscribe.
d. suzanne's mad at me, cos I broke her fancy pier 1 coffee object. (but she's somehow able to keep tabs on len & lon who are apparently knee-deep in hos? so we keep her on our christmas card/cali boozer list.)
e. errr. when this last happy hour wears off, will send more details.
f. the trouble with blogs is, you've got to build up a varied body of entries before you revel them to people otherwise you seem too obsessed with one thing. even if you may be.
You said 'GOOD DAY, SIR, GOOD DAY.
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a. real world.
b. berlin's the cheapest place in the world. trust me.
c. small press books make me a bit giddy, so may have to subscribe.
d. suzanne's mad at me, cos I broke her fancy pier 1 coffee object. (but she's somehow able to keep tabs on len & lon who are apparently knee-deep in hos? so we keep her on our christmas card/cali boozer list.)
e. errr. when this last happy hour wears off, will send more details.
f. the trouble with blogs is, you've got to build up a varied body of entries before you revel them to people otherwise you seem too obsessed with one thing. even if you may be.
You said 'GOOD DAY, SIR, GOOD DAY.
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