Dolphin Address 2
January 14th 2005
Berlin is 'bunt' and actually it was by coincidence that I found a way to contribute to this by means of the waterwing. Not in the proper way in a swimming pool. These are governed by rules and do not allow such things. And I must not think of the Glienecker See, as this only gives me more gooseflesh when I shiver through the barren streets.
Via Google I searched for a company that could produce the waterwing and I found the address of BASF in the Charlottenstrasse. Because Berlin is undoable by car, you simply cannot stop on a streetcorner to consult the map in this never ceasing traffic anger, I went there by U-bahn with the wing under my arm. It makes cozy walking and I can maneuver it reasonably professionally in a crowd.
I was pleasantly surprised by the variance from candid glances that I saw reflected in the train windows to the open interest I caught with it. Several times I was addressed on the what and what for of the apparent UFO shape that I carried along. This I rewarded with a regular brief exposé and a card with my website address.
Yesterday we went to a series of readings in some Mongolian tents at the Sony building near the Potsdammerplatz. Of course with the waterwing and again that interest. The wing selects her own target group. Especially when we had to wait in between. To kill the time and fight the frost Verena carried out a number of dry-swim maneuvers with the wing and I was the dolphin. The recording leader of a TV-crew that was working there showed interest and he too was informed.
And now we hope that his curiosity will fall through and that there is more to come. Berlin is churning with curious people and, lacking dolphins, I love to play along.
Jan Ploeg, Berlin, January 14th 2005
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