8.24.2009

Exhibit 21.4

A Review of My Apartment Building

It's good, I think, but I wish they had told me the location of the trash bins so I didn't have to peer through my blinds hoping to spot a neighbor carrying a white Hefty bag. Because if I ever see such a neighbor I'm going to have to quickly grab my own white Hefty bag and follow them to wherever the trash bins are. Then I'll have to pretend like it's just a coincidence that I'm going to the trash bins at the same time. This will require me to make casual, walking-to-the-trash-bin conversation.

Neighbor: Hey, did you just move in?
Me: Yes, sir.
Neighbor: Cool, cool. How's it going?
Me: I know where the trash bin is.
Neighbor: Great, so you won't mind giving the password to the minotaur then?
Minotaur: Aaaargh!
Me: Skittles?
Neighbor: Awesome, I'm having a barbeque later.

Also, I'm sort of curious about how the UPS/USPS/FedEx people are getting through the gate. Do they all have keys? And, if so, is that complicated with all of the other buildings they have to go into? Does the minotaur let them in? I think about this as I wait for someone to take out their trash.

Furthermore, I find the choice of having sparkly, stenciled art on one of the building walls to undermine the otherwise self-conscious industrial-age penal features--exposed brick, cement floors, iron gate--which make the rest of the building a modern day workhouse with, ultimately, the gate holding us in rather than them out. These nods to an industrial-penal system acknowledges us, the tenant/prisoners, as holders of disciplinary careers who will continue to propagate the system which punishes us unawares.

Or at least that's what the building would say if someone hadn't spray painted a sparkly dragonfly on the wall.

I call him Henry.

1 comment:

ryan call said...

i want to see your apt. it sounds funny.