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Jennifer Hurst's avatar

I can rely on being mentally agape (in both the adjectival and Greek senses) by what you find and show us in your empathetic sense. Can’t wait for the rest. Cowschwitz?!!! Your reasonable desire to avoid eyebrow rattler bites. And this is not a Kurt Russell movie, but actual. Looking forward to the next.

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

Thanks Jennifer, Kurt Russell vibes for sure. He'd do better in Slab City than me.

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Oliver lazarus's avatar

Sanj you are BEAT !! Great article thanks for your crafted words and worlds 👍🏽👍🏽

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Charles Marsden's avatar

I’m loving it Sanj. Can’t wait for the next installment

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

Thanks Charlie, so great to see you here!

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Hilary Hattenbach's avatar

"I’m just not that guy, the Wendell Berry type, at home in nature and moved to poetry. I’ve never been the off-grid type. Back home it’s all goosedown and cappuccinos. I’m soft." LOL and ME TOO! Omg. Did you end up just sleeping in your car? That's what I would have done. Such a beautifully written and cinematic piece, Sanj. Great snapshots too. I love that everyone was game to chat with you, but not surprised because you're fun to talk to. I could picture it so clearly thanks to your prose. I suppose you'll be getting to this part, but how are people bathing? Can't wait to read on.

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

Thanks Hilary! You know, I thought about sleeping in my car, but I knew I'd have back ache in the morning. The seats go back, but not to business class...

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Cate's avatar

Another eye-opener of an essay! Can’t help wondering what hidden dependency on Babylon might ensue if the kinds of diseases that affect other refugee camps round the world sweep through the place. And the tourism thing is just…deeply weird. Looking forward to more stories from the edges.

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

Thanks Cate! We're wondering along the same lines. The third post in this series will touch on some of that, the perennial border tension between the inside and the outside group, the identity crisis that ensues.

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Dorianne Laux's avatar

Sanjiv, you are The King of Prose and no roses. xo

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

High praise from Highest High! Doesn't get better than that. I'm blowing this up and putting it on my wall. xo

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Jared Mazzaschi's avatar

Thanks for visiting so I don't have to. America's conscience indeed. Guilty conscience. Look forward to more.

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Sanjiv Bhattacharya's avatar

Cheers Jared. You never know, by the end of the series, you might want to go check it out. It's a warm welcome!

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