#hamburg post war modern

[dashalbrundezimmer]

hamburger straße // hamburg barmbek

a classic residential and commercial building of north german post-war modernism. finished in ochre clinker brick, which is used in almost every house in the vicinity built in the first decades after the war. the form of the building is simple and very geometrical in its design. on the ground and first floors, the only design element is black tile cladding. the house actually also has an attached former petrol station, the exterior of which is very well preserved. unfortunately, i was not able to take pictures despite several attempts, as it was always blocked by parking spaces and banners and posters. but i'll be back and someday...

[kleinefreiheiten]

2016 Hamburg

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

twst food culture compilation

Please note: this post does NOT include all food-related lore in TWST (for example, you won’t find a lot of information about individual characters’ food preferences or personal experiences with food here). This post ONLY talks about the food culture, notable locations, cultural dishes, and unique foods of the Twisted Wonderland world at large (ie countries, specific towns and cities, etc).

I did my best to scour for info, but I’ll update if I find anything new or details I missed the first time around.

General and/or Unspecified Location

Icicle mushrooms are one of Twisted Wonderland’s three greatest delicacies. They are extremely rare and expensive.

There is a seasoning called “pure azure salt”, which is said to be rare, even in the Coral Sea.

Twisted Wonderland has a fruit called ruby berries (which taste “like freshly picked strawberries”).

There is frozen mint with a “refreshing profile” that grows in icy mountainous areas.

There exists Walrus-brand oyster sauce. Trey uses this to cook hamburger steak for his younger siblings. He says the oyster sauce provides a "nice savory flavor" with considerable depth. Trey also jokes about adding it to chestnut tarts in book 1.

There are mentions of irl Japanese foods such as konjac and takoyaki, but so far no place of origin in Twisted Wonderland has been sited.

Like in the real world, celebrities like Vil and Neige are used to promote products (including food and drink) in commercials, on social media platforms, etc. For example, in book 5, we see Neige advertising Red Apple Soda and Vil using his Magicam account to promote the apple juice made by Epel's family.

There's a popular dish called "pumpkin carriage stew". The insides of a pumpkin are scooped out and the shell is filled with a creamy stew, which made it difficult to carry over to tables. It would sell out every day at the cafe Ruggie used to work at.

Some restaurants call their spaghetti with meatballs "starry night spaghetti", named after the tale of two dogs who shared a spaghetti kiss under a starry sky. It is said that sharing spaghetti with meatballs with someone outside would lead to true love.

Hunting is sport as well as something done for food.

Crowley goes on vacation “to the South” and reports to enjoy mango and mango-flavored products from there. He also brings back manga tea as a souvenir.

Briar Valley

General

Cotton candy is a classic snack food sold at Briar Valley food stalls. The way it is prepared resembles spinning threads, which is considered a blessed occupation (as there was a period in Briar Valley's history when no one was able to spin thread, so some clever individual tinkered around and made cotton candy instead).

In the battlefield (~400 years ago, during the human-fae war), soldiers would roast rats and lizards to eat if they didn't have rations or other ingredients.

There is little in the way of modern technology and electricity; typically, one would prepare dishes and/or collect ingredients by hand (such as via fishing) or by using magic.

Magic is used to light fires for cooking. There is little risk for fire accidents since magical fires automatically go out when you go to sleep.

Because Briar Valley is located to the north, it can get very chilly. When the snow melts, it turns into very cold freshwater.

According to Lilia, “berries are a must-have, especially at birthdays parties” in Briar Valley. They are famous for its berry juice.

The forest where Silver and Lilia live has strawberries. Silver picks them with his animal companions.

Coral Sea

General

According to Jade, there are no fires in the Coral Sea. Therefore, most of the food consumed is raw.

A month-long land boot camp first established by a mermaid princess that married a human prince teaches merpeople fire safety and how to eat food as part of its curriculum.

It's rare for merfolk to eat anything sweet, as those kinds of foods aren't readily avaliable in the sea.

The Atlantica Memorial Museum has the mermaid princess's "silver hair comb" on display. This, of course, refers to the "dinglehopper"--a common fork. This implies that merpeople (such as the mermaid princess referenced in many stories) fused to be unaware of the eating utensils on land.

Azul's mother owns the "hottest restaurant" in the Coral Sea. It started off as a small place, but has since expanded to have a large staff.

Couples from the Coral Sea frequently request rainbow dessert soup with trident cookies for their weddings. To eat it, you use the trident cookie to stir the sweet sky-blue soup, which then turns the soup into seven colors of the rainbow. This is a dish that is only served for special occasions in the Coral Sea, and it is typically served warm.

Jade says that he was surprised to see that many land dwellers eat their fruit without the peel; this would imply that those from the Coral Sea typically eat their foods with the skin/peel left on, or as-is.

Playful Land Amusement Park

All food and drink are handed out for free.

They serve food in large quantities, such as tuna, entire tart cherry pies (with cinnamon, clove, and crushed nuts in the filling) and a whole peppery roasted chicken. The park encourages consuming in excess.

Other food items being offered include fried tuna fish and sparkling apple juice. The juice comes with an umbrella stuck in the opening to prevent bugs from getting in. You remove it before drinking.

They have ice-cream in many flavors! We see strawberry milk in the related event.

The park had candy and popcorn in “apple core” flavor. Supposedly, this is a taste inspired by the story of the Generous Fox giving a Puppet Boy an apple core instead of a whole apple because “the puppet wished to have a core”.

There is a “Candy Road”, a street lined with shops that have caramel lollipops, chewy candy, marshmallows, cookies, chocolate crunch, and lots of other sugary treats!

Their chocolate crunch has 12 different charms thrown in.

The third most popular souvenir are pasta snacks in the shape of the Friendly Fox and Gentle Cat. The second most popular is a tin of plain cookies in the shape of the Friendly Fox and cocoa cookies in the shape of the Gentle Cat. Finally, the most popular are apple core flavored candies!

Sage's Island

Night Raven College

Pomefiore holds a welcome party for the freshmen, which includes a fancy dinner. Savanaclaw does not hold a welcome party.

Scarabia regularly holds banquets, typically at Kalim's request.

Heartslabyul holds "unbirthday parties" whenever it is a day that does NOT fall on a Heartslabyul student's birthday. Sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

The dorm members of Scarabia and Heartslabyul pitch in to prepare for banquets and unbirthday parties.

Mr. S's Mystery Shop stocks food items, such as candies (which Floyd often buys), tuna cans, and ingredients for baking (this is where Deuce and Yuu pick up things for the chestnut tart in book 1). Sam also sells food items that he seems to have made himself, like the Mystery Drink (which Octavinelle eventually buys the rights to).

The school cafeteria is said to have delicious breads.

Once a month, a famous bakery from out of town serves their goods at NRC. Their stock includes items such as chocolate croissants, egg sandwiches, yakisoba bread and cream bread ("cronuts and bear claws"), roast beef sandwiches, red bean buns ("hot dog buns"), and deluxe minced cutlet sandwiches ("deluxe ham and cheese"/"grilled cheese" in the localization). They sell out fast!

The cafeteria at NRC serves food buffet style; the cafeteria is kept warm with magic from fire fairies which are supplied with dry firewood every day. There is also a rotating daily menu.

Master Chef ("Culinary Crucible") is an elective course at NRC that teaches students how to cook. It is meant to curb the expenses related to eating out and to help the boys maintain balanced diets and learn how to take care of themselves. Judges for this course are randomly selected from the students and staff (prior to this methodology, people would bribe the judges for extra credit).

While taking Master Chef, students help with preparing meals in the cafeteria in exchange for part-time pay.

The instructors for Master Chef are ghosts who were professional chefs at five-star restaurants when they were alive. These same ghosts also serve as cafeterias staff. Crowley says it was difficult but worthwhile to recruit them.

There are various locations on campus where the students go to fetch ingredients for Master Chef. This includes an on-campus farm, ranch, windmill... and even the dormitories themselves!

The woods behind the campus have chestnuts, which the main crew collect for an apology tart to Riddle.

The Botanical Garden has some edible plants growing there. These include strawberries, which the Science Club cultivates.

NRC opens its school gates to the local townspeople for a period leading up to Halloween; during this time, they distribute candy and other sweets (such as Sam's waffles, served with jam made from NRC's apples) to guests. There's also a party on Halloween night where lots of food is served.

Mostro Lounge

Octainvelle has the Mostro Lounge, described by Jade as "a meeting place for gentlemen" where fighting between dorms is prohibited. While dining there, students are expected to abide by Octavinelle's rules. It is run by the manager and founder, Azul, who made a deal with the headmaster to get the rights to open the establishment. NRC gets 10% of the revenue the Mostro Lounge makes.

Jade and Floyd partake in some cooking, but Azul does very little cooking. He tends to investigate the competition and market.

Jade uses the weeds and plants he collects from mountain hikes to brew experimental new teas. Sometimes Azul adds these drinks to the menu.

Floyd likes to experiment with making sauces. These, too, are featured in the lounge.

The lounge offers cakes with coral decorations. You can order one for your special occasions.

The Mostro Lounge is particular about its quality name-brand dishware. Azul believes that this will boost the experience customers have in the lounge.

The Octatrio bought the rights to the Mystery Drink from Sam and raised its price from 600 madol/6 thaumarks to 1500 madol/15 thaumarks.

The Mostro Lounge has a one-drink purchase minimum.

Menu items range from roughly 600 madol to 1500 madol (6 thaumarks to 15 thaumarks). The menu rotates on a seasonal basis; this helps to cut down on costs since they can focus on cheaper in-season ingredients.

The Mostro Lounge also operates food stalls and/or sells food at many school events, such as the cultural festival in book 5 and the interdorm magical shift/spelldrive tournament in book 2.

It is mostly Octavinelle students who staff the Mostro Lounge, but there are occasions when outside students are brought in as extra help. Ruggie has worked there part-time, as well as Jack, Ace, Deuce, and tons of other students.

Unbirthday Party Rules (related to food)

Rule 25: There must be a tea party on the 5th of every month.

Rule 29: You must not eat the Queen's tarts without her permission.

Rule 153: The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea.

Rule 186: Do not eat hamburger steak on Tuesdays.

Rule 256: You must not drink lemonade with honey past 8 pm.

Rule 271: You must get up from the table within 15 minutes after eating lunch.

Rule 339: Your post-meal tea must be lemon tea with 2 sugar cubes.

Rule 529: If you eat steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards.

Rule 562: Do not bring chestnut tarts to an unbirthday party.

Rule 648: You must brush your teeth 2 times on nights when you eat turkey.

Rule 703: Whoever comes in 2nd place in a croquet match must serve tea to the Queen (dorm leader) the next day.

If the dormouse wakes up at an unbirthday party, you are to paint its nose with jam.

Coffee is forbidden; tea must be served at all occasions except for birthdays.

According to Cater, sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

Dwarves' Mine & Silent Woods

There is an abundance of wildlife in these areas; Jade often goes hiking and foraging, making note of what he finds. He uses the plants to make his own tea blends (which are sometimes added to the Mostro Lounge's menu) and the herbs, plants, and mushrooms to experiment with in cooking.

There are fish to be found at the lake, including massive catfish.

The Foothill Town

There is a port for mainly cargo ships located at the southwest part of town. It's called Crane Port! The east side has a port as well, but that one is moreso for passengers. Crane Port has been getting fewer and fewer people passing through lately (until Port Breeze Fest, in which the NRC boys run food stalls and help to revive business in the area). Group A makes churros, Group B makes waffles, Group C makes salads, Group D makes cotton candy, and Group E makes clam chowder.

A popular restaurant in the Crane Port area serves foods like french fries and burgers. Their signature menu item is a donut made from potatoes. Actually, this restaurant specializes in potato dishes!

There is a chain restaurant on the island that also has locations elsewhere, including in Ace's hometown. He mentions that there are slightly different flavors to the sauces depending on which location you go to. This chain is also described as affordable for students and gives free refills. There is a location of this chain a car ride away from Harveston.

The town also has other eateries that are more geared towards students, seeing as it exists on an island with two notable magic schools to the north and the south. Cater often mentions going into town to take pictures at cafes.

There is a famous patisserie there. You have to line up early in the morning before opening time to get your hands on one of their strawberry tarts (or anything, really!).

Scalding Sands

General

The Scalding Sands seems to borrow heavily from Middle Eastern cultures. For example, some of the Scalding Sands’ traditional dishes include, but are not limited to: roasted lamb, moussaka, döner kebabs, shawarma, flatbreads, potato and bean spreads, and seafood sautés.

Tea is a popular beverage; it is had at every meal and break. People can drink up to 10 cups of tea a day!

The Scalding Sands specializes in black tea. For entertaining guests, special tea leaves are used.

In the Scalding Sands, they brew their tea leaves loose and without an infuser. This makes the tea very strong and bitter. To counteract the powerful flavor, people add lots of sugar to their tea and drink it with sweets.

“Luxurious” tea is very sweet, since sugar was once very expensive (due to a shortage of it, according to the localization) and considered a luxury.

Due to the hot weather, people often toss herbs into their tea to make it more refreshing to drink.

Coffee is also popular; there are many cafes that serve coffee and tea. The Scalding Sands is known in particular for their spiced coffee, which has a very distinctive flavor. This coffee is brewed without a filter, and some cafes do “coffee divinations” (reading the shapes and patterns of the grounds and the water droplets that remain after drinking to tell the fortunes of customers).

There are a lot of unique spices in their dishes. This is especially true of banquet dishes. However, a variety of dishes are still served at these occasions.

Kalim describes the Scalding Sands as being “big on stewed stuff” like curries.

In Kalim’s hometown, people love to gather around the table and talk over a meal.

Halloween in the Scalding Sands is celebrated by feasting on a variety of dishes. The idea is that the food must be abundant so that the ghosts that return to the world of the living for the night may also have their fill.

It used to be difficult for the people of the Scalding Sands to obtain water due to the lack of rainfall, hot climate, and expansive desserts. However, Kalim’s ancestors utilized the country’s rivers to reach other countries and to trade their textiles, spices, tea leaves, and other local goods with foreign lands. It was particularly impressive at the time, as they were the first traders from the Scalding Sands to sail (back then, accurate nautical maps were not a thing). This maritime pioneering is what would make the Asim family their massive fortune.

The Asims and other merchants heavily invested in technologies and innovations to make the area more sustainable and potable water more accessible.

The waterways of the country eventually developed into canals and communities formed around them as trade hubs. The canals are also used to host ferryboats for locals and tourists to sightsee, boosting the tourism industry. This also made access to water much easier for the residents, and the water helps to cool the temperature.

Silk City

The bazaars in Silk City are where locals do their shopping for various goods and staple foods like vegetables and fish. There are also stalls with gourmet food that cater to tourists.

Camel Bazaar is named after camels, which were used to transport people, goods, and luggage before Silk City’s canals and roads came to be. There also used to be an oasis where the camels would rest and drink after long treks; this oasis became a center for commerce and eventually evolved into a marketplace. To this day, the name “Camel” has stuck, even if people use trucks, ships, and cars more than camels.

There is also Zahab (”Gold”) Market, which is popular with tourists for shopping (especially for souvenirs!) but also has swindlers and pickpockets mixed in with regular customers.

Many snacks are sold! There’s camel milk chocolate, cookies drizzled in syrup, sunflower seeds, pistachios, chickpeas, all kinds of nuts, dried fruits (including dates), jams, jellies, syrups, starfruit, dragonfruit, etc. 

(Lamb) shawarma is described as meat roasted on a spit and served on baguettes or pita bread. Because grease drips off while it cooks, it is “surprisingly healthier” than one expects it to be. Shawarma is also customarily served with vegetables (tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.) and sauces (yogurt, garlic, chili, hummus (a paste of garlic and chickpeas), mayo basil, etc).

There is a vendor that can supply large quantities of sweet and refreshing coconut water; this is because they’re used to providing for Kalim’s extravagant and excessive tastes. They create a hole in the top and provide straws to poke in and use to drink the water. The coconut flesh inside is also edible.

There are a lot of bread stalls; bread is also another staple food, and it comes in many sizes, shapes, and textures. Small roadside bakeries have wood-fired ovens which allow them to serve bread fresh to customers.

One stand sells baguettes that are taller than many children; these “tower baguettes” are a famous Fireworks Festival treat. People say that if you eat a big one, you’ll never go hungry again! The saying comes from a story of a young man that shared bread with hungry children. It’s because of that story that baguettes are considered a good luck food that many vendors sell on holidays.

The Camel Bazaar sells an elastic ice-cream (based on a similar irl frozen Turkish confection). It is kneaded on a pole and stretched out; customers are meant to “catch” it in their cups and cones. It’s food performance art! All the stretching makes the texture very unique.

There’s a fruit stand that is only open on festival days which sells a Silk Melon sundae; the fruit is hollowed out to host ice-cream (of the same melon flavor!) and toppings which make it very photogenic.

Starfruit is usually put in salads, according to Trey.

The dragonfruit sold is recommended to be eaten with honey. You drizzle it on top of a slice and eat!

Silk City’s signature fruit is the Silk Melon. It is called that because of its silky texture and sophisticated sweetness. It can’t be found in many other countries. The man of legend that shared his bread with a starving child is said to split a melon with his friend, even though he did not have much money to spare. It’s because of this tale that people started saying if you share Silk Melon with someone, it would make your friendship or romance last forever. Now the fruit is a festival staple and considered a symbol of good fortune.

In the past, water was only used for irrigation due to its scarcity. Some gave up on farming after years of trying to produce crops and failing—but others refused to give up and cultivated the land to made it fertile, something which future generations would reap the benefits of.

The fruits and veggies sold Camel Bazaar are freshly picked and grown locally. Jamil says this is possible because the arid climate actually helps with growing crops of high quality. Produce raised with less water concentrates flavor since the final fruit will have a higher sugar content. Because of this, Silk City’s produce is prized by chefs all over Twisted Wonderland. Of course, you can get them at an affordable prize in Camel Bazaar!

Shaftlands

General

The Shaftlands are famous for its jeweled pineapples.

The Shaftlands spans a large area of land and has drastically different climates depending on the part of it you're looking at. Therefore, we can deduce that foods and customs surrounding food are very different as well.

City of Flowers/Fleur City

The city’s food culture seems to be inspired by real world Paris, or at the very least, France.

Bread is a local specialty, particularly very buttery kinds. As you walk down the streets, you can smell bread baking. The City of Flowers has 10x (or more) the variety of bread that Sage's Island offers, and has an abundance of bakeries too.

Bread-making is popular in the City of Flowers. The windmills at the edges of the city grind grains to produce fresh flour. There are also watermills powered by the Soleil River to assist with making flour.

Because wheat is plentiful in this area, some of it is also used for desserts. One such confection is financier, which is made from a combination of wheat flour, almond flour, and butter. It resembles a gold bar, so eating one is said to bring financial prosperity.

Lately, gluten-free desserts have been trendy.

A dessert that does not use wheat flour is macarons. In the City of Flowers, they are yellow and shaped like bells to honor the Bell of Salvation which oversees the community and provides magic that helps rare plants grow in the area. The filling is a ganache with dried bits of grapes and apples.

Grape juice is popular in the City of Flowers, as the fruit is another specialty. You can buy the grapes raw and eat them as is, or ask a vendor to crush it (skin still on!) into juice for you. Some buy the grapes to give as gifts!

The grapes are grown in vineyards right outside of the city, and the farmers are constantly experimenting to improve their breeds. They taste very rich, tangy, and sweet.

The City of Flowers is also known for its many specialty cheese shops. Together, bread and cheese are called the staple foods of the city, and are sometimes eaten together. One specialty cheese shop the boys visit sells baguettes topped with ham and rich melted cheese.

The city considers goats a symbol of good luck, so they are treated with care. There are many community goats (which are just as common as domesticated cats or dogs) allowed to roam freely in the city. It is said that if you treat the community goats with kindness, they will come rescue you in your time of need.

Goat milk is used in some of the specialty cheeses produced by the city. The grapes mentioned earlier are also made into fruit compotes to go with the cheeses.

Harveston

This village has many dishes that borrow from a mixture of irl Nordic cultures. There’s also an emphasis on having hometown pride and the community itself being very close.

Crows often damage the apples Harveston grows. The community comes together to put up nets and make noises to scare them off.

As expected, many of Harveston's dishes feature apples: apple pie, grilled and roasted apples, apple salad, apple pound cakes, etc.

Epel's family has an apple orchard that has been in the family for generations. They grow different kinds of apples throughout the year. Many of his neighbors are older people who also raise produce, and they help each other out when they're short on hands. The community is very tightly knit because of this, and treat each other like extended family.

Harvest season (autumn) is the busiest time of year; once that's over, everyone comes together to have a party. It's a potluck style celebration where everyone brings a homemade dish or homegrown food to share.

Harveston preserves its produce (such as apples and wild greens) by pickling them and serving them in salads. The bright colors are maintained by boiling the produce in a copper pot, which stabilizes the pigments. It's wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

There is also pickled herring, traditionally eaten on bread. Brining preserves the fish while it is still raw and doesn't dry it up. It's ready to eat right out of a jar, no cooking required.

The local stew is not very thick. It tastes sweet because of the added vegetables and savory because of the tender meat in it. There is also a salmon broth sprinkled with herbs which is described as "melty".

Fruits and vegetables can be packed in snow to keep them preserved. This method is called “snow aging” and prevents evaporation. In the old days, the villagers would build whole farms out of snow. In modern day, they just shovel the snow into a barn. This creates a natural fridge that will naturally thaw in the summers. Snow aging in this manner makes the produce sweeter and more nutritious.

The next town over is a three-hour bike ride. The roadside has many apple trees you can enjoy during the trip.

You can easily pick apples off the branch and eat them fresh! Farmers can snack on apples while picking.

Harveston is surrounded by tall mountains that are snow-capped all year, the most famous one being Mt. Moln. The greenery around Harveston is due to the spring water irrigation which runs down from Mt. Moln.

Most of Harveston’s land is used for orchards, and apples are their main produce. They also make many products using those apples like chips, rice crackers, and cookies.

Fall apples are sweeter, while winter ones are more sour. Winter apples are unique to Harveston.

Harveston also grows a lot of garlic.

Harveston farming is done the old fashioned way, as the predominantly older population distrusts chemical fertilizers and biotechnology.

Some villagers like the mayor and Marja (Epel’s grandma) adjust their accent to communicate with people from outside the village. Marja says she switches up when she’s selling goods in another town, since it can be tricky for non-Harveston locals to understand.

Hand washing before eating is a must! They take the act very seriously in Harveston. Stories say the miners of the past used to get very sick due to poor hygiene, but their health improved drastically once they started washing regularly with soap and water. It was difficult for them to get treatment because the town is so remote and far from hospitals or doctors, so the best thing is stressing prevention. This why the townspeople are sticklers about hand washing now.

To wash the Harveston way, you plunge your hands into ice cold water and make it all foamy with soap. You also scoop the water up and splash your face as well (as the miners from the past would also do this).

Apple Square is the main festival venue; it has many vendor stalls in an area called Kokko (which means “Bonfire”) Market. The Sledathon is the most lucrative time of year for the townsfolk.

Many of their products are made locally by the older folks in town. The goods aren’t trendy or very fancy, but they’re high-quality and made with Harveston pride.

The stalls give apple juice, apple tea (which has fruit pieces floating in it), and apple ginger tea for free. The apple juice is one of Harveston’s most popular products.

Giant five-meter apple pies are made for the Sledathon. They’re considered one of the main attractions, and you can get a slice from them free of charge.

There are other stalls that sell regular apple pie too. Every vendor has their own style, from the apples used to the crust and baking technique.

There are other kinds of fruit pies for sale, but apples are the most popular and “special” ones. The Beautiful Queen had a preference for apple pies, so the townspeople do too.

Harveston apple pies have such an entrancing flavor that the nearest city has stores that stock them. Critics say that Harveston apple pies make anyone drool and that the best way to convince someone to do you a favor is to gift one.

Harveston holds an apple competition to find the reddest apple. This is because the Beautiful Queen prized beautifully red apples. In the past, the townspeople would offer the reddest apple from the season’s harvest to the Beautiful Queen. Over time, it evolved into the apple competition.

Kokko Market makes pancake balls from a flour batter and top it with jam. It’s prepared in a pan and with methods similar to takoyaki, coming out crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Pancakes also come in a square form. In Harveston, pancakes are baked in the oven instead of on the stove. Some people cook pancakes in the fireplace too; this makes them tender, thick, and pudding-like.

There are many grains used for bread: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, flax seeds, sesame seeds, rye, wheat...

Barbeque is served for large gatherings and celebrations.

Cooking tends to be done in the fireplace instead of on a stove, especially in the case for stews. It keeps the room warm in winter while the food cooks.

Harveston has a bean and fruit soup. Most other places serve it cold, but those in Harveston sometimes enjoy it warm. It’s a thick consistency and the fruit in it has been dried.

When setting the dining table, people in Harveston leave one extra plate out. This tradition comes from a story about a traveler visiting a family’s house and being surprised by the messy state of it. The traveler cleaned the house and cooked a nice meal for the family. From this story came the belief that as long as you leave a plate at your table, you’ll never want for food or go hungry.

Sandwich cakes are common party centerpieces. They are made with bread and vegetables, topped with shrimp, deviled eggs, olives, apples, and salmon slides arranged in a rose shape. The frosting on it is made from mayonnaise and sour cream, making sandwich cakes more salad than dessert.

They sell cherries and other berries by volume. Also sold are vegetables and juice, freshly squeezed.

Because Harveston is located in a mountainous region, there are rare varieties of mushrooms to be found. These can be served in a traditional mushroom soup, which can be finicky to prepare (so usually only experts make it). Mushrooms are also cooked in butter and served in sandwiches.

Mushrooms, herbs, and flowers are foraged from the nature (both public mountains and private woods). Locals usually don’t buy plants that are wild when they can pick it themselves. Instead, they’re sold to tourists.

Good foraging spots on Moln Mountain are kept secret so people don’t overharvest. The mountains are dangerous in winter, so foraging has to be done in spring or summer.

Harveston brines raw fish like salmon in a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, and fill. In the old days, brined salmon was buried in sand to let it ferment.

Fish is dried to preserve it and to enhance the flavor. Before there were proper roads, it was hard to bring in food for the winter, so Harveston relied on foods preserved in the spring. They last for a long time and have many uses (such as in soup stock or to eat straight up). To this day, preserved meats and vegetables are a local specialty and new methods such as roasting have been developed for preservation.

Sunset Savanna

General

The food here appears to be inspired by African cultures of the real world.

There is floral cacao in the Sunset Savanna. It bears fruit only once every 10 years.

Gummy bugs are popular and a Halloween staple.

The people of the Sunset Savanna value living in harmony with nature and will go out of their way to adapt to the land (due to the high population of beastmen, who have animal ancestors). Because of this, they oppose change that could damage the environment. There are some parts of this arid country that still rely on wells for their drinking water needs. They also hold the Tamashina-Mina festival every year to pray for rain.

Sautéed mutton is a common meal in this country. Leona brags that the Sunset Savanna is top notch when it comes to cooking meats.

The bananas of the Sunset Savanna are starchy and resemble potatoes (similar to plantains). They are steamed and served as a staple food. They’re faintly sweet and are actually very light and easy to digest.

It’s easier to grow fruit instead of wheat and rice in their climate.

Rice crepes, another staple, are served with a stew that you pour over it. The stew comes in variants such as a white fish stew simmered in tomato sauce, spinach and potato stew, beef stew, etc. There are also many side dishes you can enjoy with the crepes. The crepes aren’t meant to be eaten alone, as they taste too sour solo.

The phrase “that’s the Circle of Life” is a proverb that has been around for ages. The strong eat the weak, then when the strong die, their bodies become nutrients for the grass which feeds the next generation of prey animals. Life comes “full circle”, and the proverb indicates this delicate balance.

The Sunset Savanna is famous for its coffee. It tastes spicy, not bitter, because the custom is to add spices to the drink.

Food prep performances seem to be common for the wealthy; Leona mentions seeing big fish filleted before being served.

Yogurt is considered a “healthy dairy” and is typically served for breakfast.

Elephant Graveyard

The Elephant Graveyard, once considered a scary and lawless place (the “shadow lands” which were not a part of the original kingdom), has become a tourist destination.

They are known for selling vanilla cookies shaped like bones.

The hot springs at the Elephant Graveyard have kettles hidden by the steam. The hot water vapor cooks onsen tamago (a traditionally Japanese irl dish) and puddings. It imparts a slightly salty and sulfurous flavor and smell to the foods.

Sunrise City

The Raintree Market is a bazaar that features many foods and drinks.

Many snacks sold in the marketplaces are local specialties, so they’re popular as souvenirs.

Wild and cultivated hibiscus flowers are boiled with sugar to produce a red juice. There is also a white juice, which is made using wild baobab (which is full of nutrients; people call it a beauty elixir you can drink). A legends says that, long ago, members of the royal family would have their foreheads painted with baobab juice when they were born. That’s how the fruit became a local specialty.

In the original tale, the juice for marking foreheads was red. It seems that, over time, the color was changed to white by word of mouth, with the latter description fitting more with the white fruit of the baobab. Because of this change, more and more stalls have been selling a mixture of hibiscus juice and baobab juice.

The baobab fruit is also used to make a particular sour candy. The candy is dyed with res food coloring and is then dusted with sugar and chili powder. It’s described as having a “mature” flavor.

Mangoes are a local specialty! Vendors will happily cut open the fruit for you to enjoy on the spot.

Other notable fruits for sale are tart passionfruit and creamy but smelly jackfruit. The latter is considered the largest fruit in Twisted Wonderland and grows on its tree’s trunks.

The Sunset Villa is a luxurious hotel that hosts VIPs and important guests of the state. They offer a large selection of drinks (fruit juice, black tea, coffee…) and serve whole slabs of steak in front of you before serving at luxurious barbecues. After dinners, they have dance performances.

There is an enormous sausage that’s wrapped up in a coil. If unwound, it’s a meter long. It’s meant to be cut with scissors before eating. The sausage’s herbs make it taste refreshing, and its meat is finely grounded to allow its flavors to come through.

Seafood is fresh and cheap, provided you live by the sea or in a coastal region like Dawn City. In more inland areas, seafood is considered a luxury.

Their seafood tends to be cooked with strong spices.

Ruggie’s yet-to-be-named hometown

Because the residents are poor, their food is usually made from collected scraps (such as pumpkin pie made predominantly from the pulpy parts) or prepared with substitutions and without extra flourishes. For example, Ruggie’s grandma prepares homemade donuts for his birthday but they couldn't afford fancy toppings (until Ruggie started working to bring in extra income).

It’s implied that there were instances when Ruggie (and presumably others from his hometown) had to eat rotten food or out of trash cans to get by.

Queendom of Roses

General

There is reference to some irl UK foods in this region, such as the jacket potato.

The Queendom of Roses is famous for its rose jelly rolls. Roses are the flower the country is best known for, of course, but they also have lavender, rosemary, sweet violet, foxglove, bluebells, and many berries.

People from this country eat flowers (which are specifically grown for eating). Flowers are also used for dried flower bookmarks? potpourri, etc.

The Queendom has a good selection of breads.

Apparently, the Queendom also has a strong “tea culture”.

People in the Queendom of Roses eat a lot of different pastries (pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, etc). Croissant donuts (cronuts) in particular have been pretty trendy lately. They’re donuts made with croissant batter, so they come out super flaky. They are sometimes sold with iced tea as a combo.

Potatoes are a staple food.

Jacket potatoes are common at festivals; they are potatoes baked with the skin (ie “jacket”) still on. The standard topping for them is baked beans, but you can also have tuna mayo corn, bean chili, sour cream, avocado, and other things.

Anyone that grew up in the Queendom of Roses has probably done the “cookie smash” at least once as a kid. (More info on this under the “Clock Town” section!)

The Queendom is known for lavender, berries, and rosemary.

Riddle and Trey's yet-to-be-named hometown

Trey's family owns a bakery (called "Patisserie Clover" according to the TWST manga). It seems to be a small "mom and pops" shop with no particular notoriety. However, the manga implies that it was the Clover bakery where Riddle saw the strawberry tarts and became entranced by them. This is also where Riddle would later try his first strawberry tart.

In Riddle and Trey's hometown, people enjoy apple bobbing during the Halloween season.

Before interview: Riddle was worried whether they can start on time and was relieved when Vil showed up and Vil was pretty smug about it lmao

There is a farm not too far from where Riddle lives; it is famous for its ice-cream buns. There is also a cafe located on the farm! It opened shortly after Riddle entered NRC and is so popular that it’s spoken about in magazines and tourists go there just to sample their sweets.

Clock Town

The people of Clock Town value time and punctuality due to the town's connection to the White Rabbit, who was always in a hurry. Many of the foods sold at stalls are things that are easy to hold and eat while walking, such as sliced sandwiches.

The Clock Town Folk Museum mentions a girl that appears in the story of the White Rabbit. She ate cookies that made her grow large; the museum recreates this experiment by projecting a large image of guests that eat cookies they have set out.

The Clock Town Folk Museum also runs a bugle-playing contest. The participation prize is a carrot cookie.

Clock Town sells a brand of potato chips with the White Rabbit logo on them.

The town also sells cookies iced to look like a pocket watch. The icing is made from a mixture of sugar and egg whites (“royal icing”) which hardens considerably. You’re meant to crush the cookie with a hammer to make it into smaller pieces, making it easier to eat. It’s based on the story of the White Rabbit breaking his pocket watch. Others tried to help him fix it by hitting it with a hammer, but it didn’t help at all, only damaged it more!

A lot of people enjoy growing plants, gardening, and horticulture, including stuff that can be eaten like herbs.

Sausage rolls are served in pairs to resemble bunny ears; the container they come in resembles the White Rabbit. They’re sausages wrapped in a pie crust/puff pastry dough, and come in cheese (with a shortcrust pastry similar to what is used for tarts to help hold its shape) and a spicy sausage (with a puff pastry that makes it flaky) variant for the White Rabbit Festival.

There are large mushrooms that grow in Clock Town; eating one side will turn you large, eating the other side will turn you small. The girl in the story of the White Rabbit has eaten these strange mushrooms before. These mushrooms are said to be enchanted and only work in a particular area; its effects last for ~1 minute after eating.

[jim-bones-spock]

LOVE AND OTHER PICKLES, a BabeRoe fic for @mutantmanifesto for the #hbowarsanta23

Hello there, @mutantmanifesto! It's me, your secret santa. I had so much fun writing this little fic for you, I truly hope you enjoy it :') I had a blast being your secret santa this year and I wish you all the best for this holiday season!

Title: Love and other pickles

Raiting: T

Pairings: Baberoe with a side of Webgott and cameo by the ever amazing Chuck Grant

Summary: When Babe's takeout meal gets mistakenly stolen by someone in his building, the young man doesn't have any other choice than to start a passive agressive post-it note war on the bulletin board for everyone to see. The thing is: he didn't expect someone to actually answer...

Tags: Modern AU, enemies to friends to lovers, kinda enemies, gratious mentions of pickles and smoked meat sandwhiches, holiday fun, HBOwarsanta23, secret santa

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52501954

Or read in its entirety below the cut!

LOVE AND OTHER PICKLES

Babe didn’t know he could get this angry over a pickle. 

As in, a literal pickle. A perfect sour pickle, crunchy and heavenly in its vinegar distribution. The perfect balance to his takeout meal he had ordered, a rich smoked meat sandwich, filled to the brim with tender meats and dijon mustard. 

The only bright part of his day, which, Babe thought, was depressingly telling of the state of his mental health. 

Looking down sadly at his sandwich container, neatly placed by the delivery guy right by his mailbox, Babe couldn’t believe this was happening. His shoulder sagged, his eyes closed. 

“What the hell took you so long?” said the ever-annoyed voice of Joe Leibgott right behind him. 

“My pickle,” Babe whispered, his sadness slowly morphing into indignation. 

Babe could physically feel Joe wrinkling his nose. “Hey, man, gross. Don’t talk about that stuff,”

“No, it’s… The restaurant forgot my pickle,” frowned Babe. “They never do, usually. They even put it in a little separate box and everything.” 

Joe looked inside Babe’s bag and looked up, his deadpan delivery mastered. “Why would you want pickles with Chinese food? Is that a new thing kids do these days?” he added, as if he weren’t only two years older than Babe.

Now fully confused, Babe looked down at his bag. “Chinese food? I ordered a smoked meat sandwich!” 

Joe shrugged. “Looks like someone from another apartment took your order by mistake. I wouldn’t blame them, honestly.” Joe pointed at the multiple food delivery bags, all waiting in front of their respective mail box’s apartment numbers. “I mean, look at the mess here! We can barely walk, it’s like a minefield of cold hamburgers.” 

“But… We have a system,” Babe complained, waving in the general direction of the lobby. “People can’t just… take whatever they want and not check their bags!” 

Joe sighed, a clear sign for Babe that he was already done with this conversation. He looked at his nails as he offered his measly sympathy. “Maybe they were as tired as we are. Maybe they were evil and took yours just to spite you. Now, stop whining,” said Joe, as if he weren’t the biggest whining baby of all time, “just eat the stranger’s food. We have to finish the presentation before tomorrow or else Nixon’s gonna have our skins.” 

Babe grumbled under his breath. They did have to work late, hence the delivery at his condo and he and Joe working until probably midnight and then some. Still, Babe could not shake the pettiness growing inside of him like a vine. The feeling was familiar. His friends called it Babe’s Petty Principles.

As soon as Joe left after a tiring evening of crunching numbers and deciphering numerous Excel documents, Babe, half manic with fatigue, took a sharpie pen, his trusty post-it notepad and wrote down a few lines, what he thought would send a clear message.

Taking the elevator down, he stepped into the empty lobby. Sticking the post-it note on the bulletin board for all to see, he smirked. Ah. That’ll show them. 

To the pickle thief - how dare you!!!! I was looking forward to that pickle all day. Shame on you. That smoked meat sandwich was mine. 

Contented, Babe then went to sleep, unaware of the ridiculous set of events he had just put into motion. 

The next day saw him awake around seven. Sure enough, Babe went on with his routine, the thief almost out of his mind. With breakfast and coffee down the hatch, he dressed in his usual gray suit, white shirt and black tie, put on his winter coat and made his way down to catch his bus headed downtown. 

As he opened the front door of his building, letting in a cold December wind that ruffled his amber hair, Babe stopped dead in his tracks. From the corner of his eye, he could spot a bright blue post-it on the bulletin board. As the pickle incident came thundering back into his mind, Babe remembered distinctively using a yellow post-it note. Which could only mean one thing. 

The thief had answered. 

Retreating back into the warmth of the lobby, Babe hurried to the board. Instead of his chicken scratch, there was a new note written in neat and elegant cursive. Babe could only gawk at the response. 

To the weirdo who likes pickles: why. 

I threw the pickle away. Also, the sandwich was okay, although there was too much salt for my liking. 

Signed: the pickle thief

Babe audibly scoffed as he ripped the post-it from the bulletin board. How… dare the thief write that! The smoked meat sandwich was deliciously salty and the… The pickle! In the garbage? Unacceptable! 

Babe saw red, his cheeks heating up as they usually do under stress. 

“Oh yeah?” he muttered, crumpling the note in his fist. “We’ll see, then, pickle thief. We’ll see who will have the last laugh.” 

As he ruminated on the bus, dark snow clouds literally hanging above his head, it dawned on Babe that he was taking this way too seriously. That it could happen to anyone, mixing up delivery bags. 

Then, the image of his dear pickle in the trash came back to him in a flash. Babe sighed. 

He knew himself pretty well, after almost thirty years of living in his own head. He knew that he didn't have a choice. 

He'll take this way too far and win the post-it war. He had to. 

As soon as came back home after a tiring day, Babe took the yellow note with the message he had carefully crafted during his lunch hour out of his pocket and pinned it right where the rude answer had been. 

To the pickle thief, 

Your crimes will be punished. How dare you throw away a poor innocent pickle. I should call 911 on you!!!! Poor small, innocent pickle! I will have revenge. 

I am vengeance. 

Now fully certain he had the last word, Babe was actually surprised to see a new post-it the next morning as he made his way through the lobby. Whoever was answering, they must be working nights, because Babe never saw a glimpse of anyone in the mornings, nor around five in the afternoon when he came back tired and hungry from the office. 

This time was no different: a blue post-it note waiting, mocking him from afar. Babe hurried to the board, almost dropping his case in the process of tearing the offensive bit of paper from the wall.

Calm down, Batman. You seem a little obsessed over the pickle. Are you having pickle problems on your side? 

Signed, 

The pickle thief who recommends you get checked out.

Babe knew exactly what to answer. Without hesitation, he dug in his bag for his post-its and scribbled the answer leaning on the board itself, his tongue sticking out of his mouth for better focus.  

Wow, that’s rich, coming from a guy (I guess?) who can’t even read the numbers of the apartments right! You can’t just take anything in front of you and call it Chinese food. 

We. Have. A. SYSTEM. The world would crumble if we can’t get our orders straight!!!!

Triumphantly sticking the note to the board, Babe turned to the elevators, only to see his next door neighbor, Chuck, waiting in front of the reflective doors, his usual calm expression now puzzled. Babe waved as he walked closer. 

“Hey, Chuck! How’s it going, man?” Babe asked, eyeing the already pushed button to call the elevator. 

“It’s… I’m fine, thank you,” answered Chuck, still looking curiously over Babe’s shoulder at the board displaying his passive-aggressive note. “Uhm, Babe… What were you doing?” 

Babe chuckled, his face heating up. “Oh, it’s nothing, really,” he answered, pushing the button a couple of times just in case it would help the elevator come down faster. “Just a pickle issue.” 

Feeling Chuck’s stare on the side of his face, Babe kept his gaze carefully averted, scratching his head and scrunching his nose as he prayed for the doors to open. 

“You’re having… pickle issues?” Chuck repeated. Judging by the tone of his voice, Babe was right to avoid his eye. 

“No, no, not like that, jeez, why does everybody…” Babe trailed off with another nervous chuckle, scratching his nose. “I mean, someone took my delivery meal ‘by accident’”, he added, air quotes and all, “and now we’re having a friendly conversation over it.” 

Silence. 

“Through the bulletin board," Babe added, voice weak, "with post-it notes.”

It took a long few seconds for Chuck to process the information. 

“Oh,” he eventually said, his deadpan delivery as Chuck as could be. “So it’s a Babe’s Petty Principle kind of thing. I see.” 

The elevator finally dinged, the doors sliding open in front of them. 

“You know what, I’ll take the next one,” said Babe, looking down. “I… forgot something in my car.” 

Chuck nodded and entered the cabin. “I hope you win,” his neighbor said, “but don’t get that poor guy kicked out of the building for a pickle.” 

“It was a very good pickle!” Babe shouted at the closing doors, as Chuck’s laugh echoed in the lobby. 

In the reflection of the doors, Babe could see his cheeks were as red as his hair. He sighed, and pushed the button calling the elevator again. 

I’m a new guy (confirmed) here. I didn’t know the “SYSTEM”. I do know how to read though, and you don’t need that many exclamation points when you write. 

-Pickle thief

Babe grabbed the latest note absentmindedly that morning, reading it on the bus. Rolling his eyes and crumpling the paper in his coat pocket, Babe arrived at the office and headed straight for his post-it notes. Before he even opened his emails or removed his coat, Babe was furiously scribbling. 

I’ll write as many as I want, new guy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Then, blindly grabbing another post-it note, he covered it in exclamation points. Finally satisfied, he rolled back his office chair, looking up and nearly tipping over when he realized Joe Liebgott was watching him from above, leaning on the dividing wall between their cubicles. Even though Joe didn’t physically roll his eyes, Babe knew he was doing it in spirit. 

“Back at it again with the passive aggressive notes, I see,” Joe trailed off, smirking. 

Babe shrugged, discarding his coat on the back of his chair and turning his work laptop on. “The guy keeps answering ,” he muttered, half amused and half annoyed that Joe could read him so well. 

“Look like you found your match,” Joe pointed out, glancing down on his side of the wall to grab his coffee mug and slowly sipping the hot liquid. His friend wiggled his eyebrows, much to Babe’s dismay.

Babe groaned. Just as he began praying for something, anything to wipe the smug expression off his friend’s face, he glimpsed David Webster, accountant extraordinaire, strolling in behind Joe, his expression furious. 

Thank you, Lord, Babe thought as he assessed Webster’s level of anger to be a solid seven out of ten.

“Looks like yours found you ,” he said, smirking as Joe’s eyes widened. 

“Liebgott,” Webster snapped, right on cue, “how many times do I have to tell you to file your reports before the due date?” 

Closing his eyes only for a moment, Joe turned to face his work nemesis, as Babe liked to call Webster, who, when not in presence of Liebgott, was actually a very decent guy, albeit sometimes a little arrogant. 

“Webster, it’s eight in the fucking morning,” Joe snapped back, and Babe settled in his chair, thankful for a distraction this early in his work day. 

Webster scoffed. “I can read the time, thank you very much. I was here at six this morning, because of you, fixing your mistake so that the company wouldn’t implode .” 

Leigbott put down his coffee mug, raising his eyebrows to give Webster a snarky once-over. “Not my fault you have nothing else to do in the mornings. You probably sleep in a suit, waiting to go to work.” 

“I don’t sleep in a suit, you know very well that I sleep in- '' Webster started, before shutting his mouth very fast, his cheeks reddening. 

What? thought Babe, watching Joe’s eyes dart over to him and back to Webster. 

“Anyway , that’s not the point,” Webster continued, flustered. “I need you to make copies of this document and go give them to Nixon, because I’m not taking the fall for your incompetence.” 

Joe rolled his eyes. “Fine. Let’s go.” 

Babe watched them leave, their steps angry, but their expressions… almost eager? Babe blinked, shutting down the thought. He hadn’t had his coffee this morning yet. He wasn’t ready for the truth. He decided to wait for his friend to come back, but not before shamelessly stealing Joe’s mug off his desk and taking a few sips. 

If his hypothesis was true, Joe would owe him much more than one coffee. 

For starters, therapy. 

Alright, this is getting out of hand. Sorry for the pickle, won’t happen again. 

Signed: pickle thief, over and out. 

“Well, now I feel bad,” Babe told Joe after showing him the last post-it the next morning at work. “Maybe I pushed too far.” 

Joe shrugged in his office chair, handing the post-it back. “Nah. It’s good, you won. You got it out of your system.” 

Frowning, Babe leaned on the cubicle wall and gave Joe a sarcastic look. “Like you got Webster out of your system?” 

Joe’s smile was all teeth. “Twice last night, I got him out of my system.” 

Babe groaned. “Joe, come on! Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing him?” 

Shrugging again, Joe leaned back In his chair. “Dunno. Didn’t think it would be a recurring thing until it was.” 

“So are you… official?” asked Babe, folding the post-it in his pocket. 

Liebgott smiled again, this time a little more genuine. “I guess, yeah.” Then he seemed to remember where he was, because he snickered. “I won’t tell him, though, and I'll complain that he forgot our anniversary in a month. That’ll drive him mad.” 

Babe kicked him lightly in the shins. “Hey. Be nice. Webster’s a catch, actually. Don’t know how he fell for your ugly mug.” 

Liebgott sighed. “Yeah, me neither.” 

A pensive silence fell on the two friends. Wanting to lighten the mood, Babe nudged Joe’s shin again. “You know he actually went to Harvard?” 

“Webster went to Harvard? No, really? He never mentioned it before,” Joe answered, completely deadpan, while Babe barked a laugh. 

“You really should write to the pickle thief if it’s that important to you, you know," Joe eventually said after a few hours of serious work. "Maybe invite him somewhere to make peace, or whatever.” 

“Yeah, maybe," Babe said, his mood immediately picking up "Thanks, Joe, that’s actually a great idea."

“I am smart most of the time, you know,” Joe muttered, sighing dramatically. 

I’m sorry, man, I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Let me make it up to you. 

Sandwich shop, this saturday, seven o’clock. My treat. I’ll be wearing a blue sweater.

-E. Heffron

The bell jingled and Babe’s head shot up for the tenth time since he sat down at a quarter to seven. Thirty minutes later, no sign of his pickle thief. This time it was a family making their way to the counter, the children running around happily while the father gave their order. 

i dont think he’s gonna show , Babe texted Joe, frowning. 

Joe’s answer came swiftly. Just wait. Maybe he was busy stealing other pickles.

Babe decided that he would wait until eight, to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. He ordered another coffee and sighed, scrolling on his phone. 

Around seven thirty, the door opened once more. This time, Babe almost didn’t look up, engrossed in an online quiz about which Hunger Games character he was. Glancing up, he saw a man scanning the restaurant, then zoning in on Babe, his fierce eyes as focused as a hawk. The man looked down at his blue sweater, then started to approach. 

Babe gulped. 

While the guy walked towards him, Babe had time to detail him. Green, almost hazel eyes, dark hair as jet black as the night sky in January, pointy nose with the tip reddened by the cold outside, and the most attractive set of features Babe had ever seen on a man completed the portrait. 

His face was as sharp as it was delicate, his strong cheekbones making him look straight out of Babe’s favorite tv dramas. A light stubble covered his cheeks, and as he walked even closer, Babe cringed as he realized the man was frowning deeply. Something in Babe suggested that this was probably his neutral expression, but Babe couldn't count on wishful thinking. 

The stranger took his last steps towards Babe, who started to really panic. His pale skin and the dark circles under his eyes suggested someone who probably rarely got out. Then again, Babe had the same matching set of dark circles, so perhaps the guy was working in a soul-sucking office too. 

The man wore a long black coat made of wool, unbuttoned, and when he finally stopped right in front of the table, Babe could make out dark blue scrubs underneath. Ah. Not an office worker then, maybe more like a doctor, or a nurse. 

Great. Babe antagonized someone who helped others on the daily. Nothing to calm his anxious conscience. 

They stared at each other in tense silence for what seemed like an eternity. Babe maintained eye contact, trying to decide if it was normal to be slightly aroused by the intensity of the man in front of him, while being terrified of his scowling. 

“Heffron?” the man asked after eyeing him as Babe did to him not a minute ago. 

His voice was raspy and Babe was delighted to hear a Cajun accent, hidden beneath the layers of animosity the man seemed to radiate towards him.

“Y-Yes, that’s me. Uhm. Please, sit down,” said Babe, willing his voice not to waver. 

The man seemed to think about it, then sat in the booth in front of Babe, stiff as a stick. They sat in silence, Babe’s face hotter by the minute. He felt so warm, from awkwardness and panic, the only image his brain conjured was the Wicked Witch melting at the end of W izard of Oz. 

“So,” Babe said after clearing his throat. “Uhm. Pickle thief.” 

“Eugene Roe, actually. Pickle thief was my father,” Eugene Roe said with an absolutely deadpan delivery that made something in Babe’s stomach flip. 

“Right. The famous mister pickle,” Babe joked lamely. 

Then, something incredible happened. Eugene's expression softened, like he thought Babe’s line was actually a little funny, but wouldn’t let it show. It gave Babe a little courage. Maybe this wouldn’t be so disastrous after all. 

“Look,” Babe breathed out as Eugene kept looking at him, “I’m gonna say it right now: I’m sorry I was a jerk through post-it notes.” 

Babe swallowed before continuing, keeping to the little speech he prepared and practiced to a supportive Chuck Grant last night. “I shouldn’t have snapped, it wasn’t fair to you. It was a Babe’s Petty Principle situation and it shouldn’t have escalated like that, so, uh… Yeah.”

Beyond embarrassed, Babe grabbed his empty coffee cup, nervously tapping the sides with his short nails. “Sorry,” he added again, wincing. 

Eugene blinked, the first sign that he heard anything Babe had just said. 

“Babe?” he asked, his frown deepening. 

“Yeah?”

“No, I mean… Your name is Babe? Babe Heffron?” Eugene asked again, his puzzled expression doing unfortunate things to Babe’s stomach.

“No, uh… My name is Edward, but everybody calls me Babe,” he explained, feeling a familiar blush creep up to his ears. “I’m the youngest of my friend group.” 

“Ah. I see,” Eugene said slowly. He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. “No way I’m calling you Babe.” 

“But you just did,” Babe contered, smirking. 

Eugene gave him a dark look. Oops. Why was it so attractive? Babe’s stomach felt like it was on a rollercoaster of contradicting feelings. 

“So anyway, sorry. Again. I thought you wouldn’t show up,” Babe said, while Eugene flagged down the waiter. 

“I just came out of a shift at the hospital, actually. I came straight here when I saw the board,” Eugene casually explained. “Hi,” he added when the waiter came over. “We’ll have two smoked meat sandwiches, pickles for both. Thank you.” 

The waiter nodded and disappeared behind the counter. Babe watched as Eugene removed his coat, revealing a small, but strong frame. 

“So… You’re a doctor?” asked Babe, desperate to hear Eugene’s drawl in any way possible. 

“Surgeon,” Eugene clarified. “You?” 

Babe sighed. “Marketing. I mostly do Excel spreadsheets that nobody looks at after. Exciting work.” 

Eugene shrugged, his expression once again softening. “S’not bad. What else do you like to do, except antagonize perfect strangers in your building?” 

Babe smiles sheepishly. “I only antagonize the doctors in my building, actually.” 

The smallest smile undid the frown on Eugene’s face. “I see.” 

“I'm actually a boring person,” continued Babe, eyeing the waiter as he got out of the kitchen balancing two plates on his arm. 

“Someone who has a catchphrase for his… what was it again? Petty principles? That’s not boring to me,” shrugged Eugene, just as the waiter stopped by them and delivered their orders. They both nodded in thanks as he walked away. 

“My friends coined it. I can be… I mean, principles are important,” Babe said, waving his hands around, intent on being the most humble he could be.

“Yeah, that’s why you’re going to give me your pickle again,” said Eugene, his eyes now twinkling with a light Babe was enchanted to see. 

Oh, he wanted to play it like that, uh? Alright. Babe could play. 

“No way,” he answered, placing a protective hand over his plate, “ you owe me a pickle, mister.” 

Eugene frowned, but this time Babe could tell it was fake, which made his heart miss a beat. 

“What about the emotional damage I had to endure? I demand reparation,” Eugene said, crossing his arms on his chest. 

“But you don’t even like pickles. You threw the other one away!” countered Babe, now genuinely confused. 

Eugene scratched at his cheek to hide his mouth. “I might have lied about that.” 

Laughing, Babe threw his hands in the air. “I knew it! I knew nobody in their right mind could say no to a delicious pickle with a smoked meat sandwich.” 

“So… Can I have yours?” Eugene said after Babe dropped his arms. 

Babe dramatically sighed. “I see only one way of settling this. We’ll split the pickle. How ‘bout that?” 

Eugene pretended to think about it. “Yes, that would be satisfactory.” He extended his arm so that Babe would shake his hand above their plates. “Shake on it? From now on, we’ll always split the pickle.” 

Babe eagerly took Eugene’s hand. It was firm and dry, and Babe had to make his brain shut up about the other things Babe would like to see Eugene’s hands do. 

“Agreed.” 

They shared a smile, Eugene’s first real smile since he stepped in the restaurant. Babe was glad, a million pounds off his shoulders. 

Reluctantly letting go of Eugene’s warm hand, Babe started eating his sandwich. Soon, Eugene joined him. They ate in companionable silence. Babe eyed Eugene every chance he got. The doctor ate with appetite, even licking his thumb when a splash of mustard dropped on his fingers. 

“So,” Eugene eventually said. “This might be the weirdest meal I’ve ever shared."

“Not me,” Babe casually answered, cutting the pickle in half and placing it delicately on Eugene’s almost empty plate. “Last night I ate dinner with my friend and his soon-to-be boyfriend.” 

“What was weird about the dinner?” Eugene asked, seemingly curious. 

“They kind of love and hate each other so much, they ended up aggressively complimenting each other. It was tense,” Babe added.  

Shuddering, he thought back on the ferocious intensity in Webster’s eyes as he declared that no, Joe was actually the most wonderful person he ever met as Joe practically growled in agony at Webster. 

“Oh… You’re right, that’s a weirder meal than this one,” Eugene said, laughing. 

“Wait until you hear this other one,” Babe added, galvanized by Eugene’s laugh, “the other day, my friend Bill-” 

The night dwindled away as they both shared stories of their respective friend groups. Eugene ended up telling Babe a few gross hospital stories, while Babe spilled the crunchiest office drama. Hours went by without the two men ever checking their phones, or wanting to leave. 

Babe could feel a certain warmth as Eugene relaxed and laughed more easily. He was still guarded, but that made his smiles all the more rewarding. Babe was quickly addicted and discreetly texted Joe when Eugene went to the bathroom. 

Pickle guy okay. Might be on a date, now??????

WTF??? please call me after.

Babe could feel Eugene’s eyes on him more and more, and let his blush reign freely. There was no way he could hide the effect Eugene Roe had on him, even if he just met the guy. As the night went by, Babe could feel a certain tension come back, this time a much more pleasant tension. Babe knew it well, could feel it in bars when he eyed a good-looking stranger for a night of fun, could feel it when he (mostly tried) to flirt with the blind dates his friends would send him on.

What really emboldened Babe was that Eugene was giving this energy right back, was now making jokes and letting the silences linger, happy to be in the moment with Babe. Thrilled by this unforeseen turn of events, Babe, for once, let it happen and didn’t fight the lightness and giddiness he felt, letting himself be totally genuine. 

All of that because of a pickle. 

As the closing time approached and they had to put on their coats to brave the cold outside, Babe found himself wanting this evening to last forever. 

“Well, this was… uhm… very fun,” Babe commented, stepping outside and holding the door for Eugene. “I’m glad I could say sorry in person. And I’m glad you didn’t think I was a total jackass,” he added sheepishly. 

“I’m happy you reached out… and that you’re not a psycho killer,” Eugene added, flashing him a small smile as he went outside. 

The clouds above hid the dark sky, rendering it more like a soft, gray color. Suddenly, Babe looked up. Heavy snowflakes, as if on cue, began to slowly fall down on their heads. Babe’s heart leapt in his chest as he looked back at Eugene to find out that he was already looking at Babe. 

“You look like an angel,” Eugene whispered, almost to himself, pointing at the halo of a nearby streetlamp illuminating Babe’s hair, bright white snowflakes sticking to the copper strands. 

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Babe said, his voice strangled, after a few seconds gathering himself so he would not have to muffle a yell in his thick scarf.

Eugene looked down, smiling, and Babe couldn’t believe the sweetness of the moment. The snow falling felt more like powdered sugar at this point, with how sweet they were being. 

Always the go-getter, Babe took a step forward, bringing him closer to Eugene. The other man did not move, turning his head so that he could look at Babe from the corner of his eye. 

Being slightly taller than Eugene, Babe had to look down, inhaling through his nose to calm his nerves. He blinked a few times, drinking in the sight of Eugene, the tip of his nose already turning red, smelling the sharp, cold air around them alongside Eugene’s warm and rich scent. 

Slowly, leaving plenty of room for Eugene to take a step back, Babe leaned down. Not only Eugene didn’t push him away, he leaned in , like he knew exactly what Babe would do.  and pressed his parted lips to the corner of Eugene’s mouth in a chaste and sweet kiss. Electricity seemed to travel between the two, a sharp realization of wanting more, of seeing the other, almost like a recognition. 

“Weirdest date I’ve ever been on,” Eugene chuckled warmly when they separated, his hand flying to his lips, like an afterthought. 

Babe smiled wide, holding onto the sides of Eugene’s coat. He feels like if he let go, he would float away. 

“Tell me about it,” he whispered, feeling himself blushing furiously as they walked back to their homes. 

The next day, on the bulletin board, two post-it notes were pinned for everyone to see. 

I’m very, very, very glad you stole my pickle :) How about same time, same place, next week?

I’ll be there 

I think this time, it’s you that stole something of mine.

[eternal-eclipsehq]

Welcome, travellers, to Eternal Eclipse!

Humans and supernaturals have lived side-by-side for centuries, an uneasy peace between the two that has threatened to crack many times before. The world is changed, and continues to change each day. The Material Plane is cracking, and the darkness at the edge of all things creeps ever-closer.

The Triad, foul creators of the Eternal Eclipse which plagues our world, fight against all living things. With their army of Nightmares and their mortal allies, they fight a bloody war against The Protectorate for control of the world - and for the lives of every living thing.

Many believe the apocalypse is coming - or has already begun.

Yet one would be fool indeed to believe that there was not more. None wish to admit it, yet far more builds on the horizon than simply The Triad. Will it be discovered before it is too late?

That choice is yours. Take your story into your own hands, and forge your new destiny in a world ripe with opportunity. Will you take up arms, or will you live simply? Will you love, or hate? All of this and more is your choice, and yours alone.

We are a literate (250+ words) English RP server, set in a near-future version of the real world with heavy supernatural and fantasy elements.

We need active members who are going to get involved and be a part of our community and the story that we are shaping!

Timeline: 2056.

Main Location: The primary locations are Lyon (France), Camelot (Wales), Hamburg (Germany), and Berlin (Germany), but we have locations from all over the world - both of our own creation and those that exist IRL.

Genre: Modern Supernatural / Modern Fantasy with light Sci-Fi elements.

What we offer... .ᐟ

✘ ❛ Detailed and Literate roleplay, with each post having a minimum length of 250 words! ❜

✘ ❛ A plethora of factions for your OC to join, including the Dragon Riders! ❜

✘ ❛ Finely crafted, deep and rich OC bios by all our members, reviewed by mods to ensure that they stay true to the lore! ❜

✘ ❛ Interesting, evolving plots and characters that change with OC choices! ❜

✘ ❛ Deep, rich, extensive, and interesting lore, with experienced mods and members to guide you through it all! ❜

✘ ❛ 35+ roleplay locations! ❜

... with more planned to be added!

✘ ❛ Unique modern fantasy aesthetic! ❜

✘ ❛ LGBTQIA+ friendly & inclusive community, owned and ran by LGBTQIA+ people! ❜

✘ ❛ Interesting, thoughtful & rich server-wide events that advance the main plot and provide opportunity for growth of all OCs! ❜

✘ ❛ Welcoming to all! ❜

✘ ❛ Many species and subspecies to choose from, including Elves, Vampires, Witches, Lycanthropes, Orcs, Fae (Merfolk, Luckfolk, Nymphs, etc.) & Talented Humans (example; MCU mutants)! We also have home-brewed, original races, in the form of Nephilim & Half-Demons, and more! ❜

✘ ❛ Experienced, literate, creative and friendly members! ❜

✘ ❛ A new, rapidly growing server, with lots of opportunities for OCs! ❜

✘ ❛ Our own in-universe language that some OCs can speak, with our own homebrewed, hand-made translator available in-server! ❜

✘ ❛ ... and so much more! ❜

You can check out https://eternaleclipserp.carrd.co/ for a glimpse at the lore!

Come on in, but do be sure to tread softly... none know what truly waits in the shadows.

https://discord.gg/eternaleclipserp

[We are 18+ due to the fact that 18+ scenes of a gruesome and adult nature have the potential to take place. We are NOT an ERP server.]

[beatleskinkmeme]

Beatles Kink Meme Tags Navigation

Ships

lennison ; lennstarr ; mcharrison ; mclennon ; mcstarr ; paul/george ; pringo ; starrison

John/Paul/George/Ringo ; John/Paul/George ; John/Paul/Ringo ; implied mclennon ; Paul/any beatle

John/Other

John/Allen Klein ; John/Brian Epstein ; John/Faul ; John/Fred Seaman ; John/Jimmy McCulloch ; John/Linda ; John/Lord Snowden ; John/Mick Jagger ; John/Norm ; John/Robert Fraser ; John/Stuart ; John/Yoko ; John/anyone ; John/other 

Paul/Other

Paul/Brian Epstein ; Paul/Cynthia ; Paul/Ed Sullivan ; Paul/George Martin ; Paul/Ian James ; Paul/Jimmie Nicol ; Paul/Linda ; Paul/Mal Evans ; Paul/Mick Jagger ; Paul/Mike ; Paul/Paul ; Paul/Pete Best ; Paul/Pete Townshend ; Paul/Peter Asher ; Paul/Queen Elizabeth ; Paul/Robert Fraser ; Paul/Stuart ; Paul/Tara Browne ; Paul/Yoko ; Paul/anyone ; Paul/other

George/Other

George/Bob Dylan ; George/Brian Epstein ; George/George Martin ; George/Other

Ringo/Other

Ringo/anyone

Other

George/Patti/John Hurt ; John/Paul/Brian Epstein ; John/Paul/George Martin ; John/Paul/Reader ; John/Paul/Robert Fraser ; John/Paul/Stuart ; John/Paul/Yoko ; John/Paul/other ; Linda/Yoko ; Paul/Linda/Denny Laine ; Paul/Linda/George ; Paul/Linda/Robert Fraser ; Paul/Robert Fraser/Lord Snowden ; beatles with other people ships ; any pairing

Characters

John ; Paul ; George ; Ringo ; All Beatles ; Any beatle

john and paul ; john and george ; john and ringo ; paul and george ; paul and ringo ; george and ringo

Allen Klein ; Andy Warhol ; Beatle girls ; Bob Dylan ; Brian Epstein ; Cilla Black ; Cynthia ; David Bailey ; Denny Laine ; Ed Sullivan ; Elvis Costello ; Faul ; Fred Seaman ; George Martin ; Ian James ; Ivan Vaughan ; Jane ; Jimi Hendrix ; Jim McCartney ; Jimmy McCulloch ; Jimmie Nicol ; John Dunbar ; John look alike ; Julian ; Linda ; Little Richard; Lord Snowden ; Maggie McGivern ; Mal Evans ; Martha ; Maureen Starkey ; May Pang ; Michael Lindsay Hogg ; Mick Jagger ; Mike McCartney ; Mimi Smith ; Pattie Boyd ; Pete Best ; Peter Asher ; Pete Townshend ; Robert Fraser ; Royston Ellis ; Sean ; Stuart ; Tara Browne ; Yoko ; Reader Insert

Kink/Fetish/Sex Position

69 ; a/b/o verse ; accidental voyeurism ; anal ; analingus ; bdsm ; belly rubs ; blow jobs ; brontophilia ; butt plug ; chastity belt ; clown fetish ; cockwarming ; costumes ; daddy kink ; dirty pictures ; dirty talk ; dub con ; dumbification ; exhibitionism ; feeding kink ; feet kink ; feminization ; fisting ; foot job ; foursome ; fuck or die ; gangbang ; glory holes ; group masturbation ; humiliation kink ; incest ; masturbation ; milking kink ; mom kink ; non con ; objectification ; object insertion ; omarashi ; pegging ; pet play ; phone sex ; pillow humping ; piss kink ; polycule ; pony play ; power bottom ; praise kink ; pregnancy kink ; rimming ; role play ; run train ; sadism ; sex toys ; sexual favors ; sexual use of unusual items ; sickfic ; size kink ; slut shaming ; smoking kink ; sneeze fetish ; somnophilia ; student/teacher ; sub/dom ; tentacles ; threesome ; tied up ; unintentional erotic touching ; voice kink ; voyeurism ; watersports

Time Periods

1963 Beatles Christmas skit ; 1966 ; 1967 ; 1971 ; 1970s ; 1980s ; abbey road ; a hard days night ; Christmas ; get back ; hamburg ; help! movie ; how i won the war ; India ; mad day out ; magical mystery tour ; post breakup ; post india ; post Johns death ; sgt pepper ; the lost weekend ; white album ; yellow submarine

AUs

AU ; anastasia au ; brokeback mountain ; canon divergence au ; eternal sunshine of the spotless mind au ; fleabag au ; indecent proposal ; John lives AU ; moulin rouge au ; modern au ; Paul dies AU ; paul is dead ; seven days au ; time travel au ; yesterday movie universe

Other

accidental name drop ; aliens made them do it ; animals ; bad sex ; body positivity ; body worship ; bottle feeding ; canon compliant ; cosplay ; couple’s therapy ; crossover ; crying ; cute aggression ; Elvis ; enemies to lovers ; fake marriage ; gay chicken ; gen ; genderswap ; happy birthday paul ; high femme ; hurt/comfort ; love triangle ; multiple partners ; mutual pining ; nonkinky ; outsider pov ; panic attacks ; parallel universe ; paris ; photo prompt ; pining ; PWP ; quote prompt ; rent boys ; sexual frustration ; stuffed in a suitcase ; t4t ; therapy ; wlw 

2020s Ringo; 61 john ; 66 John ; 80s Paul ; 90s Paul ; alpha!john ; bottom!George ; bottom!john ; bottom!paul ; feeder!john ; fem!paul ; girl Paul ; jealous!john ; mcbeardy ; milf!paul ; omega!paul ; top!paul ; trans boy paul ; trans John ; trans paul ; twink!paul ; vampire!john ; virgin Paul ; young john

Non Prompts

fan art ; fanvideos

anon ask ; mod post ; non prompt ; polls ; replies

ao3 wrapped ; fic-a-thon ; secret santa ; master post 

[justforbooks]

Wolfgang Schäuble, who has died aged 81, was a giant of German public life, epitomising the successes, anxieties and obduracy of his postwar country. The longest-serving parliamentarian in German history, Schäuble played a pivotal role in two crucial events of the past four decades – the process that led to reunification in 1990 and the austerity measures imposed across much of Europe following the global financial crash of 2008.

To the German public, he will probably be best known as the politician who was shot while campaigning, by a man suffering from mental illness, and paralysed from the waist down, only to return to frontline politics within months. Seven years later, in 1997, Schäuble was asked by an interviewer from Stern magazine how his use of a wheelchair might affect his chances of fulfilling his ultimate ambition. “A cripple as chancellor?” he replied. “You have every right to ask that question.” Bluntness and a lack of self-pity became his leitmotifs.

The second of three sons of Karl, a tax adviser, and Gertrud, Schäuble was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, in the southwest region of Baden Württemberg, and studied law in his hometown and in Hamburg, though he quickly turned to politics. He entered parliament for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1972, at the age of 30. He went on to win the Offenburg constituency 14 times in a row, sitting in the Bundestag under every postwar chancellor except the first, Konrad Adenauer.

In 1984 he entered the cabinet when Helmut Kohl appointed him head of the chancellery (chief of staff) and minister for special affairs. In April 1989, he was promoted to interior minister. It was from that position, but still in the manner of the chancellor’s fixer, that Schäuble led the reunification negotiations that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall.

During these talks he first came across Angela Merkel, an unassuming scientist from the GDR who had become a senior adviser to its outgoing government. The triangular relationship is one of the most fascinating and complex in modern German history. Schäuble claimed to have “discovered” her, suggesting her for the new all-German cabinet. Kohl patronised her as “the girl”, yet he increasingly promoted her. The assumption throughout was, however, that when the time came the one male titan would replace the other.

Kohl’s 16 years of office – a period of economic growth for Germany and the hegemony of post-cold-war liberal economics – ended in 1998 with the election victory of the Social Democrats under Gerhard Schröder. Schäuble, who had been leader of the parliamentary party, effortlessly succeeded Kohl as head of the CDU and leader of the opposition.

Within months, they were embroiled in scandal: a former party treasurer was caught taking a suitcase filled with a million German marks (about £300,000) from an arms dealer in a parking lot in Switzerland. It soon emerged that this transaction formed part of a much vaster system of corruption. Schäuble professed ignorance about the affair, only to be implicated, and exposed as having lied to parliament.

It was then that Merkel struck, publishing a letter in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper in December 1999 in which she called on her party to shift generations. In so doing, she paved the way for her assumption of the crown and her long political hegemony. Kohl never forgave her.

In the fourth of six books he wrote during his career, called Mitten im Leben (In the Midst of Life) and published in 2000, Schäuble talked about his political regrets. He did not criticise Merkel, but, unlike all the other politicians he named with first and surnames, he referred to her as “Frau Merkel”. When he later asked her why she had not informed him in advance of her plans – he was still party leader after all – she replied: “You wouldn’t have allowed me to.”

When she eventually became chancellor in 2005, Merkel appointed Schäuble her interior minister. They buried their differences, and he served her loyally, in that post and then from 2009 as finance minister during her second and third administrations. He became the continent’s dominant economic force and leading enforcer of austerity, seeking to embed Germany’s strictures of balanced budgets – the Black Zero – across the EU. With his opposition to bailouts, and advocacy of spending cuts and structural reforms, Schäuble became an object of hate among many on the left, particularly in those countries teetering on the brink.

In his 2017 memoir, Adults in the Room, Greece’s finance minister at the time, Yanis Varoufakis, claimed that his German counterpart admitted that the medicine couldn’t work, but had to be administered for ideological reasons. Schäuble long denied this. Indeed, one of the curiosities of Germany’s obsession with austerity budgets – which is now causing considerable heartache for Olaf Scholz’s government – is that they remain largely popular, according to opinion polls.

Throughout his career Schäuble was a staunch pro-Atlanticist. He was one of few senior German politicians to support the Iraq war. He was also much more hawkish than others towards Russia, likening its seizure of Crimea in 2014 to Hitler’s annexation of the Sudetenland.

In 2017 he was chosen as president (speaker) of parliament, a role he was initially reluctant to take, but fulfilled with his characteristic acuity. He had let it be known that he would like to become Germany’s president, a largely ceremonial but important position, but was twice overlooked.

Schäuble is survived by his wife, the economist and teacher Ingeborg Hensle, whom he married in 1969, and by three daughters, Christine, Juliane and Anna, and a son, Hans-Jörg.

🔔 Wolfgang Schäuble, politician, born 18 September 1942; died 26 December 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[pyrousred]

The dehumanizing, invisible Body Horror of Hamburger Lady...

So recently I 'discovered' the band Throbbing Gristle after hearing about them and having them recommended for a long time. It goes without saying they're shaping up to be a new favorite band of mine. I loved Pink Floyd and Nine Inch Nails as a teen, so hearing 70s psychedelic British rock that is ALSO a predecessor to industrial rock has me fuckin giddy (and terrified).

Right now, though, I am really intrigued by their song Hamburger Lady, and moreso, the poem? Short story? Pre-internet creepypasta? - that it's based on. For those who haven't heard the song - go listen right now! Here's a link to it.

Can you see it? The pristine hospital hallway? The dim room full of moaning and rattling breaths? The rancid smell that hits you when you open the door? The heart monitor confirming this is in fact a living thing lying on the hospital bed in front of you? The blurry fading in and out of consciousness in the grip of unending agony...

For those who don't know the story, here's the lyrics to the song and the original poem, according to Genius:

Sit with it for a sec, if you can. It really tickles modern horror tastes doesn't it? In a way that feels uncannily ahead of its time. I'm tempted to compare it to one of the better creepypastas or posts from r/nosleep, but it reminds me of a bigger phenomenon that encompasses those things. The internet-era Pandora's Box of personal experiences, particularly the ones showcasing the rare and/or hidden away fringes of human society. The extreme and awful things that happened in someone's hometown, at someone's job. Often dubious in their truthfulness, such stories are numerous enough that some HAVE to be real.

In fact, let's give some credit. As many edgy tall tales as there may be on the internet, it's not hard to find completely real descriptions and images of the most shocking things imaginable online, so in that regard its fictitiousness makes it more impressive to me. It's a product of human artistry, made with intent, with a message - perhaps to encapsulate real events, but nonetheless built from the ground up to be an ambassador to some particular corner of the twisted and awful. And indeed, like any good scary story, there really is a grain of truth.

The writer of the work, 'Blaster Al' Ackerman, was a Medivac in the Vietnam War - note the narrator bringing up 'viet napalms' - and, according to Arthur Magazine's 2009 piece on him, did in fact work in burn wards in the late 60s. So undoubtedly the horror is based on very real experiences.

Kim Phuc, a napalm survivor who was famously photographed as a child in the Vietnam War after she was covered with the substance.

Hamburger Lady, then, is not really about a person. It's about the horrible fragility of the human body, and the perhaps even more terrifying ability of modern medicine to keep an utterly ruined body alive. Breathing, eating, shitting, even if with the help of invasive surgeries and tubes and round-the-clock care. And to what end, the story seems to ask, so that the patient can live on in unbearable pain?

And to me, part of the horror of this story is the utter dehumanization of the titular Hamburger Lady. Burned from the waist up, the features we recognize humans by have been reduced to charred meat, with only her legs to remind us that this has happened to a person. The narrator seems disinterested in the plight of the Hamburger Lady, rather she is a terrible thing that happens to our protagonist - a grisly thing he must interact with.

Some might call this callous, but I think it supports the horror much more than any graphic description - that this person who seemingly still has thoughts and internality, has been reduced to just a disgusting task. Some kind of burn ward wraith that showcases suffering and disfigurement perpetually. There is no chance of recovery, only suffering extended by medical innovation, and eventually death. '...thanks to medical advances, there is no end in sight,' the text says.

unrelievedly, the song repeats hauntingly.

Ultimately this is why, to me, Hamburger Lady moreso represents the experience of encountering this horror as an outside observer. Real burn victims recover. Or they die. One way or another, they leave the hospital. Hamburger Lady is an unending visage of suffering, forced to live as a creature who can only frighten and disgust others, while also being hopelessly dependent on these people to continue living. She is not a specific disfigured patient, she is the idea of one. She represents the task of coming in to work day in and day out and seeing all the unspeakable shapes a human being can be twisted into. She is a sort of deity of disfigurement, of the moans and screams of patients and the unbearable sights that lay stretched out in their beds.

And what a horribly mundane inciting event to this nightmare - a car crash? Something that could happen to anyone? The ease with which she was un-personed, turned into a gruesome spectacle without even a real name, only a nickname based on her appearance, leaves the reader or listener with a sort of paranoia that must come with the job of taking care of her. That this thing who the narrator refuses to even treat as a person, could easily be you one day.

---

When I started writing this post, I fully planned to accompany it with my own drawing of Hamburger Lady. Some fanart, I guess you could call it. If you search online, you can find other artists' take on it and they are all pretty impressive and creepy in their own way.

But, I found myself unable to start. I realized that although there is ample inspiration for making terrifying visual art, what inspired me in the first place about both these art pieces is how graphic and scary they are without showing anything at all.

I first heard Hamburger Lady by Throbbing Gristle on my phone. It was scary, and intriguing enough that I listened all the way through, but it was tinny and stripped of its detail. When I listened to it on my headphones, I was in broad daylight, the white midday sun streaming through a window right beside me. And even then I could not shake the feeling that if I dared look to my side, I would see her standing there, gasping for breath, begging to die.

I could have drawn what I thought I'd see if I turned around, but I could never draw the certainty I felt that she was right there watching me.

[ruvviks]

🔺🍎 💘 🍔 😊 🤩 and 😓 [:

oc asks for tiberius!

🔺 RED TRIANGLE POINTED UP — does your oc know how to use any weapons?

tiberius has never used any weapons in his pre-war life. his father loved hunting but since it was mostly just trophy hunting, tiberius wasn't all too interested in any of that and only ever joined him on hunting trips to get away from his mother. they played some video games from time to time (my fallout 4 canon is like, a mix of that universe + ours so there's some more modern technology but with the same vibes as in the games!) but not a lot of shooters either so they still basically had zero experience. not a veteran like in-game nate either because tiberius is the younger brother of stella (who's like, in-game nora), it's stella's husband clark who fought in the war

in the post-war wasteland he has no choice but to use weapons since everything out there is out for blood </3 when he first emerges from the vault, he ends up in sanctuary which by then is already a big settlement and preston garvey teaches him how to survive out in the wasteland, which includes handling weapons. it takes a while before tbierius gets comfortable with using guns because they cling to their pre-war life a lot, so at first they mostly use melee weapons of any kind. later on he also gets his hands on a ripper, which becomes his favorite pest control weapon (goodbye bugs)

🍎 RED APPLE — where was your oc born? do they still live in/around their place of birth or do they live somewhere else? how do they feel about their birthplace?

tiberius was born and raised in a small town in maine! before the bombs fell, he still lived with his parents in the house he grew up in but he spent a lot of time over at friends' places in the big city, near the art school he went to. he also spent a lot of time at his sister's place in boston, he really did not like his parents and wanted nothing more than to finally move out and start his own life

now, post-war, tiberius is stuck in the commonwealth very far away from where they grew up. they don't mind at all because they didn't like that place anyway, but it does feel very alienating; he barely knew the city before the bombs fell since he mostly just hung out at stella's home, and now it's even more unrecognizable :(

since i'm reworking their story a little bit, tiberius currently still lives in sanctuary in stella's old home. they do spend a lot of time away from it, traveling between settlements and such, because it hurts to stay there for a long time; at some point he ends up moving elsewhere but i haven't decided on a good settlement location yet so that's to be determined :]

💘 HEART WITH ARROW — what and/or who do(es) your oc consider the most important to them?

tiberius' sister stella is the most important person in his life forever and always even long after her death (thanks for that kellogg). she's always been there for them even when their parents weren't and no one else has ever been as understanding with them

post-war, tiberius makes a lot of new friends and they all become very very important to him. his closest friends are: max, magnus, roxy and nikolai, all my ocs, and then also maccready, preston, piper, nick, and glory :]

🍔 HAMBURGER — is your oc good at cooking? are they good at baking? which one do they prefer?

tiberius is decent enough as a cook and a baker but he never really did much of it pre-war. now post-war he does make his own meals basically all the time because he is VERY suspicious of basically any other meal served to him ESPECIALLY in diamond city or goodneighbor. they've come to trust the food served in the castle (it's a very big settlement, there's a lot of good street food without the use of mystery meat there) as well as food made by a few close friends but still prefer to just make something themself

😊 SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES — what are your oc's career/general life desires? what do they want to get the most out of life?

tiberius went to art school pre-war! he did creative media studies with a side of art history and writing and reallyyy wanted to do something with that, but then the bombs fell :( nowadays they live from day to day and often don't expect to make it through the night so every morning is a surprise. they just want to live as peacefully as they possibly can and enjoy the time they have with friends

🤩 FACE WITH STARRY EYES — is your oc a planner, or are they more spontaneous in their actions?

tiberius is VERY spontaneous they do not plan anything ever at all. his strategy is always very straightforward and whatever happens on the way there happens, he doesn't care, he has never cared and he will never care. it's whatever. only when they're doing something important with friends they'll try to plan some stuff out just to make sure their friends won't get injured, but they care very very little about what happens to themself in the meantime

😓 DOWNCAST FACE WITH SWEAT — is your oc open-minded or stubborn? are they inquisitive or do they prefer to keep to their bubble of knowledge?

tiberius is very stubborn and generally speaking doesn't like debating with others about basically anything, especially close-minded people because it feels like a waste of time to him. he's not one to argue quickly in general, especially not post-war, because he feels like there's more pressing matters at hand and wasting time arguing doesn't help anyone

tiberius used to love learning but nowadays since the wasteland is completely new to him he learns new things every day against his will and that's more than enough for him. he's not much of a reader anymore, if anything he just steals mac's comic books and thumbs through those if he's feeling REALLY bored but it's like. very low on his list

[runwayrunway]

when germans think lufthansa nobody thinks ah yes the name the nazis gave to their airline, because the hansa name is a direct tie to something far older and that is far more suitably neutrally nationalist propaganda - Hansa. The Hanseatic League. The "earliest predecessor to the EU" and something that remains such a point of pride that formerly Hanseatic cities keep it in their name centuries after the Hanseatic league was wiped from all maps. Something that remains on modern city signs and even on car registration plates, like Hamburg giving up the single "H" to the smaller and far less important city of Hanover just so they can have their "HH" for Hansastadt Hamburg

With Lufthansa it's not so much the etymology that's the issue as the historical context. The name itself is entirely harmless but the original Deutsch Luft Hansa was a government apparatus which used forced labor of prisoners including children and was run by members of the Nazi party including several who had personal hands in war crimes. Today's Lufthansa is technically a different company but it was lead by many of the same people, most notably Deutsche Bank manager Kurt Weigelt, Luftwaffe Oberkommando Kurt Knipfer, and Luftwaffe chief of staff Werner Kreipe. This company was actually established with the name Luftag and then spent a significant amount of money to continue using the pre-war name and crane logo. (East Germany's flag carrier pre-Interflug also attempted to do this until Luftag/Lufthansa sued them into bankruptcy for it. To be clear, they also should not have done this, in my opinion.) They also seem to consider themselves to be the same company, if stating their founding date as 1926 is any indication. They've taken some downright bizarre actions when it comes to if they want to acknowledge this or not, including commissioning studies by historians and then suppressing their publication. Keeping the Luftag or Interflug name would not have changed this but the fact that they chose to continue branding themselves as Lufthansa definitely exacerbates it.

This is the unfortunate double reality in which German companies which keep the names of their Nazi-era counterparts are forced to operate. I'm sure somebody who knows more about cars than me could talk about Volkswagen or Porsche, which literally takes its name from an officer of the SS who produced weaponry for the war effort. Should they have outright changed their names? That's a bigger question than I can answer. I generally lean towards 'yes' in the same way I do for Chanel - the fact that a company is no longer literally owned by the same people it once was doesn't make the bitter pill that is branding itself with the name of someone who contributed to genocide much easier to swallow, and even more so with something inherently political like a flag carrier. Both Italy and Japan, for example, retired the brands of Ala Littoria and Imperial Japanese Airways. But there's obviously not a consensus here and I am just one person with one opinion. I find Chanel and Porsche to be far more inherently loaded than Lufthansa, but that doesn't mean there isn't a conversation to be had surrounding this topic, and people have been having that conversation for years.

This is, in all honesty, about the least of my political criticisms of the current Lufthansa. It's been the better part of a century and they are no longer literally abducting people to build their radar systems to the best of my knowledge, nor do they have any 150-year-old SS officers serving on their board. But they are still indisputably linked to Nazi Germany, which I expect they are pretty reluctant to lean into when discussing their history because if they did that would be terrible (and as far as I know of German law probably also illegal). Of the large airlines in the world this is a pretty uniquely Lufthansa baggage to deal with and it puts them in a pretty unfortunate spot a lot of the time, but as I was getting at in my post I do think there's a lot they could do that actually leans into German identity rather than being quarterlyreportcore without sticking Third Reich imagery on their planes but I can also understand why they may be hesitant to brand themselves in any way that isn't super sterile given that they have this history. It is just inherently harder to make being Lufthansa your brand than it is to make being the country that has really great glaciers your brand.

No, it's not the main thing that is associated with the name 'Lufthansa' and it shouldn't be. Yes, Lufthansa is a brand which was actively put forth by the Third Reich rather than just coincidentally existing at the same time and that is always going to be a nasty barnacle attached to the airline.

[walt-thisney]

Review @ Bad Alchemy Magazine ( Germany )

Fernando Cerqueira ist der rote Faden, der SPH als post-industriales Kassettenforum der Jahre 1990-94 verknüpft mit Thisco als 2001 zusammen mit Luis Van Seixas gegründetes Spielfeld der Sound Culture. Seit der 2015 begonnenen und 2021 explosiven Auf­erweckung von SPH führt er beides parallel. Wobei er sich selber aktiv eingemischt hat mit Croniamantal und Ras.Al.Ghul, als Rasal.Asad und Whalt Thisney. Atonal 3(SPH110, C-46) knüpft nun in Fortsetzung von „Atonal Vol 2 - Encyclopedia of Obscure Aural Won­ders – 80´s/90´s“ (SPH108, 2021) an „Atonal“ (SPH001, 1990) als dem einstigen Start­schuss an. Mit If, Bwana (Al Margolis), Pas Musique (Robert L. Pepper), Konstruktivists (Glenn Michael Wallis), Discmen (José António Moura), Geins't Naït (Laurent Petitgand & Thierry Mérigout) und Arcane Device (David Lee Myers). Dadurch, dass nur Kapotte Mu­zieks 'Various excerpts going at once from a concert at the Hörbar, Hamburg, 17 May 2012', 'Untitled (1980)' von Francisco Lopez und Manuel Motas 'Guitarra Electri-acústica 1996' zeitlich markiert sind, erschallt der Klang und Krach des elektrolurchigen Under­grounds als Kontinuum der vergangenen 4 ½ Jahrzehnte. Komprimiert sind die Turbinen und ratternden Züge der noch schweren Industriezeit und das Knistern, Bersten, Prasseln im elektrifizierten Nahbereich zum Hirnsausen und rabiaten Synapsenschliff, mit plunder­phonischen und ambienten Einsprengseln. Automatisch getaktet und sirrend als keuchen­de Hatz, als glissandierendes Surren und Jaulen, als 'sprechendes' und gabber-quickes Breakbeat-Zang-Tumb-Tumb. Mit bläschenfeinem Prickeln und Mikrodetonationen im rau­schenden Beinahenichts. Mit dumpf in sich kreisender, von verzerrter Stimme zerkratzter Melodik, stehendem Feedback oder, wieder mit verzerrter Computerstimme, einem noch­mal rotierenden Mahlwerk. Und einem steppenden, wummernden Ausklang. [BA 123 rbd]

Auf Thisco ertönt derweil Luis Van Seixas als Sci Fi Industries aus St. Petersburg in Flo­rida mit den digitalen Alben „Inherent Red Vice“ und „Evidence is Futile“, neben Industrial Psyche-Punk von the pop ritual oder, illustriert mit dem Tierkreiszeichen 'Ziegenfisch'= Steinbock, dem gitarrenrituellen „Stellium“ von Taj Chander, beide aus Memphis, Tennes­see. Cerqueira seinerseits präsentiert als WHALTHISNEY sich als „Hypnothist“ (auf 23 Stab Wounds Rec.) und „Othist“ (auf Brutalize Rec.) und mit dumpfer Pianomelancholie zu Dröhn- und Zitterwellen Polymathism (Thisco, C-46) als weiteren Ismus neben etwa „Psi­thurism“ [Blätter, die im Wind rascheln], „Lefthism“, „Automathism“, „Quiethism“ oder „Concrethism“. Ein Polymath war einst ein Universalgelehrter, ein Homo universalis, dem Cerqueira auf der Dark Side der Moderne gegenübersteht als nur noch postmoderner Eklektiker, der zwischen Paradise Motel und Sweet Hellfire von den Beständen zehrt – Exotica, Discreet Music, Musique d'Ameublement, Mood Music. Mit Schwitters („Merzbau­ten“), Baudrillard („Simulacra“), Debord („Dérive“, „Musica Psychogeographica“), Virilio („This Dromocracy“), R.A. Wilson („Discordia“, „Musica Eristica“), Thierry Hentsch („Mpire of Desire“), Thomas Frank („Commodify Your Dissent“), W. G. Sebald ('After Nature') als Stichwortgebern. Mit verneinten und dennoch angeeigneten Begriffen – ThisContinuum, Thisillusion, Thisquietude, Endotica, Thisowned, Etopia, Thiscordiana, Thisruption, This­equilibrium... Die Sexploitation geschwärzt. Aus Dis- (miss-, nicht-, zer-, un-) wird This, aus Eskapismus wird Fluchthilfe aus den Ketten der „Buyology“ und der 'Tyranny of the Mo­ment' ins 'Edgeland', in die 'Peripheria', die Einsamkeit, Thisneys „Mondo Lostalgico“. Who walks alone in the streets at night? The sad, the mad, the bad. The lost, the lonely. The sleepless, the homeless. All the city’s internal exiles. The night has always been the time for daylight’s dispossessed – the dissident, the different. Hier mit einer Sammlung ver­streuter Hauntologismen, die als 'Atmosphera', 'Temporality', 'Lamento', 'Surrender', 'Darkspace', 'Summer Nightfall', 'Disengage' schon ihr Spätgeborensein, ihre Leeseitigkeit andeuten. Und ausgießen in klimpernder Tristesse, dröhnendem Moll und manchmal dazu raunenden Stimmen, kaskadierend platzenden Bläschen oder müdem Kontrabasspizzi­cato. Aber: 'You decide the end of the story'. [BA 123 rbd]

[dashalbrundezimmer]

radisson blue // hamburg neustadt

architect: jost schramm & gert pempelfort

completion: 1973

for me, the radisson is one of the most iconic modernist buildings in hamburg. mighty but filigree, simple in its structure. and since the square in front of the station and hotel was renovated, the hotel really comes into its own.

camera: canon a-1 with canon fd 28mm

film: agfa apx

dev&scan: meinfilmlab

[candy-floss-crazy]

History of the Hamburger: From Hamburg to Global Icon

American Fast Food Icon The hamburger, a quintessential American fast-food icon, has a history that extends far beyond its association with the United States. Its origins can be traced back to the bustling streets of 19th-century Hamburg, Germany, where the first prototypes of this beloved sandwich emerged. Over time, the hamburger has evolved from a humble street food to a symbol of globalization, finding its way onto menus in every corner of the world. Let's delve into the fascinating journey of the hamburger, tracing its transformation from a local delicacy to a global culinary sensation. Origin in Hamburg, Germany: The roots of the hamburger can be found in the German city of Hamburg, where the concept of minced beef, seasoned and shaped into patties, was a popular local dish. Immigrants from Hamburg, seeking new opportunities, brought their culinary traditions with them to the United States in the 19th century. It was in the bustling streets of American cities, notably New York, that the hamburger began to take on its modern form. Evolution in the United States: While its exact origins in the United States remain a topic of debate, the hamburger gained popularity at the turn of the 20th century, particularly during the rise of the fast-food culture. Numerous accounts credit various American diners and restaurants for popularizing the hamburger as we know it today. One of the earliest and most notable mentions is Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, which claims to have served the first hamburger sandwich in 1900. Rise of Fast-Food Culture: With the advent of the fast-food industry, the hamburger quickly became a staple on menus across the nation. The post-World War II era saw an explosion of fast-food chains, such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, which played a pivotal role in cementing the hamburger's position in American culture. The simplicity, convenience, and affordability of the hamburger contributed to its widespread appeal, making it a favourite choice for people of all ages. Globalization and Cultural Integration: As the world became more interconnected, the hamburger transcended its American roots and found its way onto menus worldwide. Its adaptability allowed for endless variations, incorporating diverse ingredients and flavors to suit local palates. From the Japanese teriyaki burger to the Indian masala burger, each culture added its unique twist, contributing to the hamburger's evolution as a global culinary phenomenon. The Modern Hamburger: In the 21st century, the hamburger continues to undergo innovative transformations, catering to diverse dietary preferences and culinary trends. With an increasing focus on sustainability and plant-based diets, the rise of the veggie burger and plant-based meat alternatives has redefined the traditional concept of the hamburger, appealing to a broader audience concerned about health and the environment. Conclusion: The history of the hamburger is a testament to the power of cultural exchange and culinary evolution. From its humble beginnings in Hamburg, Germany, to its status as a global fast-food icon, the hamburger remains a symbol of cultural integration and gastronomic innovation. Its ability to adapt and evolve with changing times has solidified its place in the hearts and taste buds of people around the world, making it an enduring culinary classic for generations to come. Read the full article

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.24 (before 1950)

1132 – Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. 1148 – Louis VII of France lays siege to Damascus during the Second Crusade. 1304 – Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle: King Edward I of England takes the stronghold using the War Wolf. 1411 – Battle of Harlaw, one of the bloodiest battles in Scotland, takes place. 1412 – Behnam Hadloyo becomes Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Mardin. 1487 – Citizens of Leeuwarden, Netherlands, strike against a ban on foreign beer. 1534 – French explorer Jacques Cartier plants a cross on the Gaspé Peninsula and takes possession of the territory in the name of Francis I of France. 1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots, is forced to abdicate and be replaced by her one-year-old son James VI. 1701 – Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founds the trading post at Fort Pontchartrain, which later becomes the city of Detroit. 1712 – War of the Spanish Succession: The French under Marshal Villars win a decisive victory over Eugene of Savoy at Denain. 1847 – After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City. 1847 – Richard March Hoe, American inventor, patented the rotary-type printing press. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Kernstown: Confederate General Jubal Early defeats Union troops led by General George Crook in an effort to keep them out of the Shenandoah Valley. 1866 – Reconstruction: Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to Congress following the American Civil War. 1901 – O. Henry is released from prison in Columbus, Ohio, after serving three years for embezzlement from a bank. 1910 – The Ottoman Empire captures the city of Shkodër, putting down the Albanian Revolt of 1910. 1911 – Hiram Bingham III re-discovers Machu Picchu, "the Lost City of the Incas". 1915 – The passenger ship SS Eastland capsizes while tied to a dock in the Chicago River. A total of 844 passengers and crew are killed in the largest loss of life disaster from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes. 1922 – The draft of the British Mandate of Palestine was formally confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations; it came into effect on 26 September 1923. 1923 – The Treaty of Lausanne, settling the boundaries of modern Turkey, is signed in Switzerland by Greece, Bulgaria and other countries that fought in World War I. 1924 – Themistoklis Sofoulis becomes Prime Minister of Greece. 1927 – The Menin Gate war memorial is unveiled at Ypres. 1929 – The Kellogg–Briand Pact, renouncing war as an instrument of foreign policy, goes into effect (it is first signed in Paris on August 27, 1928, by most leading world powers). 1935 – The Dust Bowl heat wave reaches its peak, sending temperatures to 109 °F (43 °C) in Chicago and 104 °F (40 °C) in Milwaukee. 1943 – World War II: Operation Gomorrah begins: British and Canadian aeroplanes bomb Hamburg by night, and American planes bomb the city by day. By the end of the operation in November, 9,000 tons of explosives will have killed more than 30,000 people and destroyed 280,000 buildings.

[thinktosee]

JAMES BALDWIN – NOTES OF A NATIVE SON – EXCERPTS

James Baldwin (1924-1987) was arguably one of the most potent, articulate, incisive, analytical and accomplished American social commentators of the post-World War Two era. I cannot, in all honesty claim to know with any depth, Baldwin, or his invaluable works to modern literature and social reform. He was one of those transient beings, a shooting star, if you will, like David was, who while he glided ever so brightly, yet tentatively, through the night’s sky, never failed to mesmerize and also to taunt us with the sureness of his fated path, and mission. Such was Baldwin to me, when as a teen in the 1970s, I first came upon tiny, yet enervating bits of his essays on American society, more precisely to that never-quite-outed horrors of slavery and its unmistakable corollary -  to be black and seemingly, never whole.

Recently, I had a yearning for Baldwin. Or perhaps his uniquely-engendered narratives to the ills which plagued American society. There are, I feel, legitimate reasons for this urgent dialing for Baldwin. The world, as we experience it in present times, has rapidly unified, or to put it bluntly, regimentally uniformed, as a consequence of a variety of factors, among which the concerted and prolonged global covid lockdown recently was but its latest and perhaps, most destructive manifestation. Baldwin, like Nobel Prize recipient, Albert Camus through his anti-fascism and anti-totalitarian novel, The Plague, of which we had featured tentatively on this website not long ago, cautions us, the reader, to be mindful especially of the bitterness and hatred which may first inhabit and then explode within our self, as a result of our failure or reluctance to address, in whole, the question of social injustice within our society. In this aspect, Baldwin feels history has to be reworked and retold, with all its unpalatable gory, and less about its mythological glory in apparent partnership with faith-founded charity.

Notes of a Native Son, which was published in 1955 could have been one of those stingingly voluminous essays imitated from the Victorian era, but which instead, in the masterful hands (and mind) of Baldwin, was delicately and artfully compressed, like an accordion, to 21 pages or so, to produce the most surreal, yet unimpeachable enactment of racial relations in America within the context of African-American family life and social structure. It continues to amaze me to this day, that Baldwin was not awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his works. Nevertheless, nothing is ever cast in stone which cannot be removed or deleted as an afterthought. To this end, the Nobel Prize Committee is encouraged herein to consider a posthumous award to Baldwin. His literary works to this day continue to inspire and impel many, including this writer, to confront injustice and social inequality anywhere, without equivocation. There are numerous excerpts of the essay which are worthy of sharing here. However, these few, I am convinced should suffice to lay bare Baldwin’s philosophically-mined, yet socially amenable beliefs :

“When he died, I had been away from home for little over a year. In that year I had time to become aware the meaning of all my father’s bitter warnings, had discovered the secret of his proudly pursed lips and rigid carriage. I had discovered the weight of white people in the world. I saw that this had been for my ancestors and now would be for me an awful thing to live with and that bitterness which had helped to kill my father could also kill me.” (1)

“I knew about jim crow but I had never experienced it. I went to the same self-service restaurant three times and stood with all the Princeton boys before the counter, waiting for a hamburger and coffee; it was always an extraordinarily long time before anything was set before me; but it was not until the fourth visit that I learned that, in fact, nothing had ever been set before me; I had simply picked something up. Negroes were not served there, I was told, and they had been waiting for me to realize that I was always the only Negro present.” (2)

“Perhaps the most revealing news item, out of the steady parade of reports of muggings, stabbings, shootings, assaults, gang wars and accusations of police brutality, is the item concerning six Negro girls, who set upon a white girl in the subway because, as they all too accurately put it, she was stepping on their toes. Indeed she was, all over the nation.” (3)

“Perhaps the best way to sum all this up is to say the people I knew felt, mainly, a peculiar kind of relief when they knew that their boys were being shipped out of the south, to do battle overseas. It was perhaps, like feeling the most dangerous part of a dangerous journey had been passed and that now, even if death should come, it would come with honor and without the complicity of their countrymen. Such a death would be, in short, a fact with which one could hope to live.” (4)

“It began to seem that one would have to hold in the mind forever two ideas which seemed to be in opposition. The first idea was acceptance, the acceptance totally without rancor, of life as it is, and men as they are: in the light of this idea it goes without saying that injustice is a commonplace. But this did not mean that one could be complacent, for the second idea was of equal power: that one must never in one’s own life, accept these injustices as commonplace but must fight them with all one’s strength.” (5)

 Sources/References

1. Baldwin : Collected Essays. p65. Edit. Toni Morrison, Library of America, 1998

2. Ibid. p69

3. Ibid. p73

4. Ibid. p74-75

5. Ibid. p84

[xtruss]

After Concession From Berlin on Tanks, Scrotums Licker of The West & Criminal Thug Zelensky Demands German U-Boats, Frigate

© AP Photo/Heribert Proepper

The German government folded to months of pressure from Washington and Kiev this week and agreed to send its Leopard 2 main battle tanks east, marking a major escalation in the NATO-Russia proxy conflict in Ukraine. Not skipping a beat, Kiev immediately began calling on the West to deliver even more advanced hardware, including fighter jets.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has called on Germany to send one or more of its submarines and possibly even a decommissioned frigate to Ukraine to “kick the Russian fleet out of the Black Sea.”

In a series of tweets Saturday and Sunday, Melnyk – Ukraine’s former ambassador to Germany, outlined why Berlin should send its U-boats to the warzone.

“Germany (ThyssenKrupp) produces one of the world’s best submarines,” Melnyk wrote, referring to the Type 212A diesel-electric attack sub made by German steel and defense giant ThyssenKrupp AG. “The Bundeswehr has 6 such U-boats. Why not send one to Ukraine?” he asked.

“It is not wishful thinking, but my PERSONAL experience. As consul-general in Hamburg, I was on board [a] U-212A at marine base Eckernforde in 2008. Really huge! One admiral told me: you need ONE sub to keep the Russian Black Sea fleet in check,” he wrote in a follow-up tweet accompanied by a cutaway diagram of the sub.

Melnyk also urged Germany to send its recently decommissioned Lubeck frigate, “or at least its weaponry like [the] Sea Sparrow [shipborne short-range anti-missile system] and Harpoon [anti-ship] missiles.”

In another tweet, he posted a link to a ThyssenKrupp promotional video on the Type 212CD Expeditionary sub.

Melnyk called on Ukraine’s NATO “allies” to come up with "a MASTER PLAN on how to DEFEAT Russia with tightly coordinated shipments of modern weapons including fighter jets and submarines” instead of worrying about escalating the conflict.

US Bends Truth With Claim That Abrams Tanks For Kiev Are Not An Escalation, Says Russian Official! The US is denying the obvious by asserting that sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine is not an escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik, adding that Washington's move seeks to bring order to NATO's ranks.

Reaction to the Ukrainian diplomat’s proposal on subs and frigates was mixed, with some dubbing it a “brilliant idea,” while others asked how the boats could be shipped to the Black Sea without Turkey taking issue. “How about no?” one critic suggested. “You get nothing, junge. Report yourself [to the front] and take up arms. This disgusting begging is unbearable,” another wrote. Others joked that maybe Kiev should ask France for an aircraft carrier or even go straight to nukes. “Mr. Melnyk, at some point you must realize that your alleged friends are not interested in a quick end to the war. You represent foreign interests superbly, keep it up,” one person commented. “Kick out a fleet that has been there since the 18th century with a submarine? And I thought in the Ukrainian government only Zelensky was the comedian,” another chimed in.

Andriy Melnyk has been a staple fixture of the German political scene since his appointment as ambassador to Germany in early 2015. Before the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, German politicians privately characterized him as a “pain in the a**” and did what they could to avoid encountering him. Last May, Bundestag lawmakers asked for the diplomat to be kicked out of the country after he called Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “offended liverwurst” for delaying his visit Kiev. Melnyk has consistently criticized the German government for its slow approval of new weapons deliveries. In 2021, he warned that Kiev might build nukes if it wasn’t allowed to join NATO.

Group of Pentagon Officials Secretly Lobbying Sending F-16 Jets to Ukraine, Reports Say!

After Germany and the US approved the delivery of Leopard 2 and Abrams tanks this week, Kiev set its sights on fighter jets, with Zelensky asking NATO to realize the “dream” of delivering “aircraft to Ukraine” after Russian forces destroyed most of the country’s air force. European diplomats and Pentagon officials are reportedly already lobbying to send F-16s to the conflict zone as NATO’s “red line” on arms deliveries continues to slowly shift in the direction of further escalation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of being openly involved in a “proxy war” with Moscow, and warned that any cargoes containing weaponry meant for Kiev will be considered legitimate targets by Russia.