From Raymond's Point of View

The weather in Nice has been gloomy which gives me an excuse to stay inside and do things like order gifts for family online, cook vegetable curry, read Runner's World and create. I've been nesting in a way. Not answering calls, not meeting friends for coffee. Basically, I've been a bad friend. I've been mildly self-absorbed which will, in a way, contribute positively to a small part of the world-my grumpiness won't rub off on others for example and I will have learned something that I can share. I think of the character, Raymond, who observes from his basement-he has started working from there too. Raymond came about when I started thinking about the prospects of shutting oneself off from the world. I would imagine this action could be easy with internet, grocery deliveries and imaginary friends. What if we had a balloon eye to watch it all? What if we could sit underground and watch from above? Community keeps us healthy and they say that those who interact with others live longer lives.

One of my friends was talking about his flat in Brussels where the bottom floor was underground. I imagine a little light shining through, mold and a radon detector. At least they had a trampoline in their garden for jumping to great heights. Raymond doesn't have a trampoline and I imagine that his lower back hurts from sitting and his legs are swelling as I write.

Another side to the Raymond composition goes back to my love of the writer Don Delillo and the idea of being watched. Some of my earlier works were inspired by his novel, Libra. Thus the eye and the industrial type building.