Lost in America

[denem]

I feel the loss everywhere: As we drive down the highways with the same twenty shops mile after mile, in cars from Detroit that are no good, psst gas station after gas station with the same three dollar prices, eating two all beef patties and a hundred additives, back to homes with more gadgets and unending equity loans, relaxing in the glow of televisions with those 500 channels and nothing on, calling friends and family on phone lines that are tapped, about the latest political pantomime that passes as debate, with not a heckler to be found, only gotcha questions looking for a 30 second negative sound bite, to ward off the votes that may never be counted, for a congress with four health care lobbyists to every representative, while businesses bust trying to pay the insurance bills competing with one dollar a day labor and the top one percent get 30% more each year, as the profits roll in from the privatized wars, and our caskets come home without a sound. Amongst the din and confusion we understand that 'this isn't what we wanted', but our dumbed down culture demands simple scapegoats, so we turn on each other, silence the last dissenting voice for Thanksgiving, and wonder what we've lost.

[saltpoint]

1. lamprey, would you do me the kindness, please, of signalling me when your

first book or film documentary is released?

Because I want to be first in line for either or both.

Terrific post. At least your second of the evening. If there's more, I want to read those too.

Thank you.

Recommended.

[denem]

2. I wrote it in about 15 minutes

then tried to get the spelling and grammar straight for another 15, adding bits and pieces; Something that would have been automatic for our grandparents. Thanks. I will write more. My hero is The Magistrate: superb reasoning and beautiful writing.

[saltpoint]

4. That had to be among the most fruitful 15-minute writing sessions!

I "heard" the passage as an over-voice to a film documentary on the quality of life in contemporary USA.

Also: agree with you on The Magistrate. Command of Language City. He's tops.

[K Gardner]

3. K&R It'll be a Keeper in my scrapbook, beautiful ! n/t

:kick: