======================================================================== FREAKING THE FREAKS - A Public Balaclava Confrontation ======================================================================== It was hot under my balaclava in this venue and I could hardly see a thing as my goggles misted up. It was all I could do to get to a chair without bumping into someone or something. I knew I must have passed the cashier somewhere along the foggy way but I wasn't asked for admission money. My disguise must have made me look like one of the many performers. Very sssllllowly (and aint that just oh so cool :) I made my way to the security of a chair right at the front of the stage. I sat there and watched. Entirely still. After about an hour I turned 90 degrees to observe the scenesters. I moved so slowly that even somebody watching me could not have noticed the transition over the next 40 minutes. (Quite meditative actually - try it sometime!) I could watch people through the condensation of my lenses certain that they could not see me inside (at that distance). I suspected that some of the intimidators were now the intimidated. One of them came up closer to inspect. When I refused to reply to queries he understood and spoke no further. Instead he just looked me in the eye... and smiled. A girl I was previously very suspicious about also came up close. I moved my eyeballs to meet hers. Contact. As she moved her head, I moved mine. Communication. Much more personal and satisfying than the drunken "So how's it goin!" you normally get at pubs. Still, nobody had any idea who I was. Some of these otherwise street-wise freaks could not take the suspense after a couple of hours and physically attempted to unmask me. I guess it was their inhuman parading that I was parodying all along so the outcome was quite beautiful after all. PS International Masked Protest 23rd November 1998. ______________________________________________ Zlatko for the Undesirable Propagation Unit.