[blindza] Friday thought - invisible furniture

From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "NAPSA Blind" <blind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:23:12 +0200
In a form of sci-fi/steam punk short story listened to recently, the whole 
society is pretty much, primarily based on clowns, of different types, etc., 
but, then there are also some other forms of entertainment type characters 
around, including a sort of minority of mime types around, and these guys are 
sort of specifically noted for both not speaking/making any sounds at all, plus 
they also, continually mime interacting with imaginary aspects of the real 
world.

As in, they'll lean on imaginary walls, sit on imaginary chairs, and make use 
of other forms of imaginary furniture, like putting an imaginary glass down on 
an imaginary table, etc., but, part of this is that the really good/real mimes 
do it so precisely that other guys, like the clown policeman who's the main 
character in the story almost 'see' what they're using/interacting with.

Either way, the sort of main bad guy in this story, which is a slightly weird 
murder investigation, sort of based on old-style detective stories, but, then 
including all the weird imagery to match the clown society theme - strange 
over-sized shoes, wide variety of clown nose types, different types of clothing 
props, and different clowns, based on different themes of clownery, etc. etc., 
is a clown who's decided that he was meant to be a mime, instead, and part of 
the story is that he's adopted a new name/identity, but to sort of try to 
retrain himself to manage as a mime, and also to hide his forms of pretense 
from other people, he installed all sorts of apparently, completely transparent 
prop furniture in his apartment, so while he can use it as per usual, you 
literally can't see it at all.

And, now what this comes down to is near the end of the short story, a sort of 
squad of clown cops need to try apprehend him, but, turns into quite a bit of 
clown chaos when they try to get hold of him in his apartment, and end up 
falling over, running into, etc. etc. all the hidden/invisible furniture, and 
this just made me think that something like this would really just 'look' (to 
use a mainstream term) normal to us - cane goes tap-tap, tap-tap - oh, here's a 
table, here's a couch, here's a carpet, etc. etc., while sighted clowns are 
tripping, falling, missing it, and sitting down on floor, etc. etc.?

Suppose this is also sort of relevant to the various forms of exhibition where 
sighted guys get to understand how we operate, etc., but, this story just made 
it seem quite funny, was well written, etc...<smile>

On the other hand, a full on mime would sort of be invisible to us in other 
ways as well..?

And, lastly, this story is called A dirge for clowntown, by author James 
Powell, and think this is pretty much an online reading of the same version I 
listened to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf6j1RvjbFE

Stay well

Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
"Roger Wilco wants to welcome you...to the space janitor's closet..."
[blindza] Friday thought - invisible furniture

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