Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People: 30. Shopping at the Face Depot
January 4, 2018 10:38 AM - Subscribe
This week's caller is a linguist who teaches Geth all about the "corpora." In case that's too nerdy for you, hang around for the story about a first date that was captured on a Coast Guard thermal camera. And if you're still not satisfied, we'll take you shopping at the Face Depot.
Though Chris repeatedly seems a little impenetrable to the passionate linguist's angle with which she spontaneously examines her world, the episode develops into a wide-ranging conversation with a philosophically sharp self-defined chameleon, who really does roll out quite a crescendo of experiences with a truly charming delivery.
Reddit commentary; Soundcloud link; transcript of her poem (via YT transcript generator, with a bit of clean-up):
Face depot
As a child it was a nightmare:
I was in a store that sold things to wear
but they weren't dresses made of silk and laces,
instead just rows and rows of empty faces.
Aisles for hair, moods and skills,
for skin tone, attitude, thrills.
A sign above me read "You can be whoever,
for the right price you can change your forever."
To make a choice for one, impossible:
I am too young, too scared, unable.
How can I know my skills, my passions, my desires?
I wandered through the aisles
reading the tags, looking at prices.
The clearance rack smelled putrid.
Stickers warned: Expired.
Rotting, rancid sockets: On sale.
Faulty, used, returned.
There's a layaway:
your life will change, come payday.
The line to try them went on for miles,
customers separating the potentials into piles.
There were those that debated even making a change
and others avoided that look in the mirror, paying.
Some shoppers casually browsing,
I even overheard one couple choose on faces they each found arousing.
The shop owner shook her head and she sighed.
She said: "You have to be aware of the effects on the side.
Read the fine print when you decide to buy a face;
if change isn't serious, you're in the wrong place.
The policy is lenient but some things cannot be returned.
Before you were born your parents came to buy
the face you wear now, and the name you go by.
Choose wisely, choose quickly - time will fly, damages incurred.
Just try to remember some things just can't be returned."
Then I ran out without making a purchase.
Each mirror I passed showed reflection sans purpose.
Though Chris repeatedly seems a little impenetrable to the passionate linguist's angle with which she spontaneously examines her world, the episode develops into a wide-ranging conversation with a philosophically sharp self-defined chameleon, who really does roll out quite a crescendo of experiences with a truly charming delivery.
Reddit commentary; Soundcloud link; transcript of her poem (via YT transcript generator, with a bit of clean-up):
Face depot
As a child it was a nightmare:
I was in a store that sold things to wear
but they weren't dresses made of silk and laces,
instead just rows and rows of empty faces.
Aisles for hair, moods and skills,
for skin tone, attitude, thrills.
A sign above me read "You can be whoever,
for the right price you can change your forever."
To make a choice for one, impossible:
I am too young, too scared, unable.
How can I know my skills, my passions, my desires?
I wandered through the aisles
reading the tags, looking at prices.
The clearance rack smelled putrid.
Stickers warned: Expired.
Rotting, rancid sockets: On sale.
Faulty, used, returned.
There's a layaway:
your life will change, come payday.
The line to try them went on for miles,
customers separating the potentials into piles.
There were those that debated even making a change
and others avoided that look in the mirror, paying.
Some shoppers casually browsing,
I even overheard one couple choose on faces they each found arousing.
The shop owner shook her head and she sighed.
She said: "You have to be aware of the effects on the side.
Read the fine print when you decide to buy a face;
if change isn't serious, you're in the wrong place.
The policy is lenient but some things cannot be returned.
Before you were born your parents came to buy
the face you wear now, and the name you go by.
Choose wisely, choose quickly - time will fly, damages incurred.
Just try to remember some things just can't be returned."
Then I ran out without making a purchase.
Each mirror I passed showed reflection sans purpose.
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posted by progosk at 10:42 AM on January 4, 2018