The Palpitating Facts of Life

First published in Daily Temporary, May, 2012.

I opted for the one on the right.

The flush is not so powerful

on the left. The angle not

so steep, and the drop not

so accommodating.

It took some days to learn

this preference. I sit.

Nature takes its course, and i’m

reminded of an encounter from

two days ago.

Hijacked into a conversation

by two lads sat bare chested

supping at tins of lager by the river.

We speak with ease and opportunity.

We discuss idleness, career, the chase

for six penny pieces, alcohol, home,

success.

The palpitating facts of life.

It was a hot day. The eldest had just turned 30

the other was younger, perhaps 20.

They speak openly and with sincere

interest about our village, about art,

about nomadism.

We disrupt the sound of the river,

of the birds, of the passing dogs,

with raucous laughter.

I am diagnosed with madness

when I speak of swimming in the river

and i’m informed of its contents -

metal piping, urine, a colour TV.

They articulate a desire to take risk,

to travel, to live nomadically.

They speak of USA, of Australia,

of Jamaica. Enthusiastically they

express desire for change.

When I ask ‘why not?’

they speak of work.

When I ask ‘why work?’

they speak of money.

When I observe the cluttered pile of

empty lager tins

I sympathise with the perpetual

work/beer/work/beer cycle.

I am charmed with their curiosity in our village.

I sense this is fuelled by our lack of stereotype.

We are neither the gypsies nor the hippies they

may have expected. No bare knuckle fighting,

no daisy chains, no folk music.

Nature takes its course. My creation

slips with ease down the drop hole.

I wash my hands, lift my trousers,

and look myself in the eyes

before heading head back out

to our temporary settlement.

The Palpitating Facts of Life

Andrew Wilson

The palpitating facts of life was first published in ‘Daily Temporary’ on Thursday 31st May, 2012. Daily Temporary was a newspaper project ran by Penka Mincheva (Bulgaria) and Peter Westman (Sweeden) at Nomadic Village 2012 in Wolsingham, County Durham, UK.

Nomadic Village was a project conceived by artist Klaus Mähring and produced by ​D6 with support from Durham County Arts Team and Wolsingham Parish Council. Between 21 May - 3 June 2012, the the Demesne Mill Picnic Area in the town of Wolsingham hosted a 'Nomadic Village' of 30+ international artists who came from as far away as Australia and as near as Tow Law. The 10-day project provided space for professional artists working in a variety of mediums to live and work, engage and interact with the local community and produce work responding to the location and situation