We chatted about everything under the sun, sipping coffee and hot chocolates at our favorite local coffeehouse. If only those walls could talk; open mics, poetry readings, art shows, elaborate r&r extravaganzas. So many good times, the gathering place for folks from around the neighborhood. This is a meeting place, a cultural crossroads: artists, writers, poets, singers, musicians, political activists, dog-walkers, dramatists, comedians, celebrities, maintenance men, shop-keepers, clerks, old-timers, young whipper-snappers. All races, creeds & colors. A perfect little example of the American thing in action.
The conversation was fun, heartfelt, rambling, filled with laughter, a bit of sadness, and good stories. We saved the state of the nation for last. It was a subject we all sort of hesitated to delve into, but of course, it was hanging over us like blooming clouds of doom.
The word that bubbled up: Dystopia: "A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ (dus) 'bad' and τόπος (tópos) 'place'), also called a cacotopia[2] or anti-utopia, is a community or society that is extremely bad or frightening."
Yes. No doubt. We are there. Surprisingly. Tragically.
It was a hard ending, to an amazing afternoon. Hard, but essential. It is so important to see, and to face up to, the reality of our New Fascist Terror Dome Regime in Washington D.C. What was the verdict within our tribe? Things are bad, very, very bad, indeed. How bad? No one knows for sure. Seems the question is how destructive will the destruction be? We know folks who already are living in fear for their well-being, and those they love, worried about being disappeared in the night. How many folks will see pain and misery, and terror? Pretty sure that answer is quite clear: All of Us.
