Last September, I was walking with my friend through a tent at the Cochise County Fair, just outside Douglas, Arizona, about five miles from the US-Mexico border. We were celebrating my birthday a couple of days early. Some group was raffling off an AR-15. As we walked by their table, they gave us a bit of a pitch. “Everyone deserves an AR!”
At the time, I was thinking, “F-ing gun nuts!” But today I’m thinking about background checks. Is there a background check on a person who wins an assault rifle at the fair? Was the “gun” registered already? Was the ownership transferred? Do you show it to your kids when you get home?
I very briefly thought about buying a ticket, hoping to win the prize and make art out of it, or at least ruin it. But if I didn’t win, I’d be giving money to death-dealers.
Ah, these United States–hell bent on fashioning an insidious bouquet of deep-rooted subterfuge that reeks of gangrene. I wish they’d at least quit using baby’s breath.
[I don’t know what the entire message is on either pictured t-shirt. I didn’t want to include the name of the candidate, but you get it. Make something else happen in 2024.]
Heidi, it was great meeting you last night at the POG reading. I liked your piece. Although some of the episodes of Netflix’s “Black Mirror” are hard to take, episode 4 of season 4 is a great and funny examination of true love and dating apps. of the future. Your last comment from your memoir reminded me of the ending of the episode. If you do watch it, let me know what you think. Stay well and stay in touch. XO JC
Thank you Jefferson! It was great to meet you! Thanks for visiting my blog. I can’t promise I’ll watch the series, but I have it written down. I don’t do much streaming. I like to get a list of stuff together, sign up and watch it all at once, then unsubscribe. I LOVE going to movies in the theater. That’s where most of my entertainment budget goes.