This post was written almost two years ago now, in August 2006. Although the person mentioned apparently isn't dead yet (or he wasn't when I checked a few weeks ago), I now feel comfortable publishing it for technical reasons.
I just left Douglas, heading south, not really knowing if or when I will ever return.
My last stay in Douglas, AZ, has been a rather odd experience. For one thing, some people have read the book and reacted at least partially negative on some of my points. Specifically the fact that it is written in a Marxist framework is hard to understand for most probably.
However, even more odd is, I believe the fact that so many people have not reacted very much at all and that generally it seems as if not much has changed since I left last time.
One person stroke it rich though. Bicycle Peter (in the first edition of the book called "Bicycle Victor") managed to receive around 82000USD in disability compensation. Those who have read the book might recall that Bicycle Peter is 77 years old and had been in the Korean War. From there he was relocated to Japan after an incident, and he met a prostitute, whom he grew to love and wanted to marry. Although that marriage never actually happened, he has since almost only been dating prostitutes across the line in Mexico.
But Peter has spent the money already. Part of it went into a new car (though no money is left for gas), some debts were paid, and the two houses of his girlfriend's family in Chihuahua were fixed. "They are both big enough to put a small airplane in them," Peter explains.
Bicycle Peter with his new car -- gas he cannot afford
I just left Douglas, heading south, not really knowing if or when I will ever return.
My last stay in Douglas, AZ, has been a rather odd experience. For one thing, some people have read the book and reacted at least partially negative on some of my points. Specifically the fact that it is written in a Marxist framework is hard to understand for most probably.
However, even more odd is, I believe the fact that so many people have not reacted very much at all and that generally it seems as if not much has changed since I left last time.
One person stroke it rich though. Bicycle Peter (in the first edition of the book called "Bicycle Victor") managed to receive around 82000USD in disability compensation. Those who have read the book might recall that Bicycle Peter is 77 years old and had been in the Korean War. From there he was relocated to Japan after an incident, and he met a prostitute, whom he grew to love and wanted to marry. Although that marriage never actually happened, he has since almost only been dating prostitutes across the line in Mexico.
But Peter has spent the money already. Part of it went into a new car (though no money is left for gas), some debts were paid, and the two houses of his girlfriend's family in Chihuahua were fixed. "They are both big enough to put a small airplane in them," Peter explains.
Bicycle Peter with his new car -- gas he cannot afford
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- My book: On the Margins
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