social studies

David Byrne

I thought that if I ate the food
of the area I was visiting
That I might assimilate the point of view
of the people there
As if the point of view was somehow in the food
So I would make no choices
myself regarding what food I ate
I would simply follow the examples of those around me
I would study menus very carefully
Making note of important differences and similarities
When shopping at the supermarket
I felt a great desire to walk off
with someone else s groceries
So that I could study them at length
And study their effects on me
As though if I ate their groceries I would
become that person; until I finished their groceries
And we might find ourselves going to the same places
Running into one another at the movies
Or in a shopping mall
Reading the same books
Watching the same TV programmes
Wearing the same clothes
Travelling to the same places
And taking the same pictures
Getting sick at the same time
And getting well again simultaneously
Finding ourselves attracted to the same people
Working at the same job
And making the same amount of money
Living identical lives - as long as the groceries lasted