all of my time in america

well all of my time in america approximated the time spent in china: about 18months.....what follows are the 8 key salient moments:

1. shooting guns for the first (and only) time in the countryside outside of richmond virginia... first a handgun, like a magnum 357 - very big gun.... shooting downwards and towards a trunk stump in a small pool of water.... first shot, holding it with two hands, bracing for it, it is really loud, my work buddy george laughs at my response, i feel so sensitive to the sound of it, it seems to go through my head.... my other work buddy, billy, whose guns they are, is not laughing, he's trying to get me to shoot some more... next an elephant rifle, 6 inch bullets, this thing could literally kill an elephant, it's like a big arse rifle so you have to put your left hand more towards the nozzle -- also probably very loud but cannot remember the sound

2. working in an expensive restaurant's kitchen in manhattan, my only experience in america that approximates the kind of 'big teamwork effort' you see on tv, like nasa people hundreds of them bent over monitors all working together, obviously working in a kitchen with about 20 other people is not as grandiose as that however it was still a big team effort, small spaces, very claustrophobic..... the machine like conduct of the entire group is memorable and it's a pleasure to be a part of it, the head chef calls his orders for meals he wants cooked with robot like method, no-one interrupts him, all the cooks follow his orders.... nobody does anything unless it is work related

3. a catholic church in los angeles, easily the most evil, foulest place i have ever seen in america, some homeless people go there for a free meal or something, the walls, carpet and general atmosphere are imbued with a sense of foulness and evil... the vibrations are unmistakeable..... this is the kind of nastiness built on catholic priest rape


4. rape survivor meetings in manhattan, granted, to the best of my knowledge, i've never been raped, however, if you think acting classes can be psychologically interesting, then give rape survivor meetings a shot, they are amazing, listening to everyone recount how they were raped and the emotional states they go through recounting it all........ manhattan has meetings for everything: sexaholics, gambing-aholics, alcoholics, everything.....

5. lying in central park after a day at work at the fancy restaurant.... whack! my head is pounded by a small crazy dog that literally runs straight into my head, smashing into it at full speed..... the idiot owner approaches and says: 'apologize'.... she doesn't say: 'i apologize'.... she says 'apologize' like i'm gonna apologize to her for her dumbarse dog running into my head

6. walking down a street in manhattan one day, i see an amazing sight never to be found in any of the former soviet republics: a circular bicycle that seats about 10 peddlers arranged in a circle, everyone can add peddle power and maybe like one guy steers, it is quite the juggernaut, i have to try it! so i run after it and jump on it, there are already about 10 people on it, they seemed like well educated (university) educated men and women in their mid 30s, singles by the looks of it, one of the ladies on the giant bike take a shine to me, and as i'm leaving, some guy asks on her behalf if i want her number (!!??) -- anyway i didn't and just said, 'no'

7. sitting on the porch steps of my first home in america: 1005 grove ave richmond, right by vcu (virginia commonwealth university) in the 'fan area' of richmond..... it was almost 4 years after my first stay in america and a dweller of 1005 approaches and asks why i'm sitting on the steps, i explain it to her and we go up to her apartment...

8. an apartment in manhattan, me and some ex-con californian are painting the interior: he paints 'ben is a fag' on the tv screen....

this 8 point dictum represent benji's key salient experiences in america.... they represent the sunum bonum of wisdom to be gleaned from american culture, while 'stateside', as they say, the rest is just what you can catch on tv, like a movie or cartoons

god speed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7SqSNQeAFM