Another hitch down and I'm on my way to Philadelphia. When I see it halfway down the list of Terminal 4 departures and think that I'm going there, I involuntarily smile. Philadephia has become an icon for me. When someone on the other side of the world asks me where I am from, I say Philadelphia. When people want to visit America, I recommend they go to Philadelphia. I make a point of having fanatical Philadelphia pride. I once lost a case of beer on a bet that Philadelphia was the birthplace of grunge music. I dont know much about grunge, but Philadelphia is the best city and all good things must come from it.
And on another note...
I had a special moment when I was leaving crew. I was driving in a dusty landcruiser truck with an Omani, a Southern Indian and a Bangladeshi. They all speak Arabic pretty well, but to be nice to me they put on the American radio station. What is an "American" radio station when you are in the desert, 400k from the capital city in Oman? It started with some gangsta rap, then transitioned into 80's movie soundtracks. Then the DJ, an older British guy with a gravely cockney accent, got on and announced the answers to a quiz about American Indians. This was followed up by a 70's folk tune.
All these pieces put together without a touch of irony let me know I'm very far away.
Looking out the window also let me know I'm very far away. A big flat empty brown landscape broken up by the occasional road crossing or oil pipeline.
And that was my moment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Oh Selah - the anticipation of seeing you is making it hard to concentrate at work. I love that you bet that grunge originated in Philadelphia - that is a classic story. Give me call when you get a chance.
I am going to try Gatwick with Oman Air - Heathrow is soooo bad
Post a Comment