It is a Big City, After All

I've been quiet here lately, in large part because I am blogging elsewhere about my experiences at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair. ( http://bruce-h-r.livejournal.com ) Also, my online access is more restricted now, and in a way, it's all BT's fault.

I've been posting here about our various difficulties in getting first a phone connection, then DSL Internet. British Telecom had us on record as getting Internet from them, which we weren't, so they were blocking the efforts of another provider from turning on our line. BT also started sending us bills for this service that they weren't providing us. The provider that we do want to work with had to go to some extraordinary lengths to get BT to allow their connection. Six weeks after beginning to order broadband for our flat, we may actually have it in a few more days. Maybe.

Meanwhile, the most convenient way for me to teach through the Whidbey Writers MFA website and to receive and send e-mail has been to walk to where I can access the wireless connections of some of my neighbors from the street.

A few nights ago, I was out at 11:30 sending some follow-up messages from the Frankfurt Book Fair. In order to be minimally intrusive to my neighbors, I was across the street next to the park fence rather than on the sidewalk directly outside of their homes. Generally, I feel reasonably comfortable and safe in our area, so I hadn't really thought much about questions of, say, having an escape route.

A car containing four young men pulled to the curb right in front of me. I think they must have driven past once, seen the laptop, and circled back. Now they were very clearly sizing me up and looking over the laptop. If a neighbor hadn't pulled up at that moment and started to parallel park a few feet away, I think I'd have been separated from my laptop, forcibly if necessary.

So I no longer work outside after sunset.

Upcoming: Holly and I begin to navigate the bureaucratic waters of the National Health Service.