Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
P.O. Boxes, Mailboxes and the No. 17
Front-Ranger:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on February 10, 2007, 10:52:28 am ---Do you know what a true trailer-prison would look like to me? Looking out the window and seeing another trailer, and another, and another. (I'm picturing the post-Hurricane Katrina trailer parks shown in Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke, but I'm also picturing every trailer park I've ever seen.) Or a trailer park in small-town sprawl, with a gigantic Wal-mart parking lot in place of the field. THAT would be hell. No Jack, no nature, and still bone-crushing poverty.
Ennis is just in purgatory.
--- End quote ---
A lot of guys in Wyoming live like this now. Because of the energy boom, there are huge mancamps where men live in trailers or concrete barracks and work 12- or 18-hr days. When they do get time off, there is nothing to do but carouse or watch TV. There was an article about this in the Feb. 5 New Yorker...I realize that I am telling you what you already know better than me...but it bears repeating in light of the mailbox and the No. 17. I doubt if many of those roughnecks have a reason to put up a mailbox. How many people are living with only the memory of experiencing love, maybe not even with that??
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on February 10, 2007, 12:12:22 am ---*digs out copy of Cadillac Desert*
I bet Annie Proulx's Red Desert book will talk about some of this history, too.
--- End quote ---
I'll have to watch for Annie's book. Thanks for the little history refresher, Mel. Been a long time since I last read anything about the Homestead Act ("Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm!" ;D ).
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on February 10, 2007, 11:45:43 am ---A lot of guys in Wyoming live like this now. Because of the energy boom, there are huge mancamps where men live in trailers or concrete barracks and work 12- or 18-hr days. When they do get time off, there is nothing to do but carouse or watch TV. There was an article about this in the Feb. 5 New Yorker.
--- End quote ---
I remember reading that in the article. Sounded like a pretty dreadful way to have to live. Like, well, a prison. :(
HerrKaiser:
it is a different way to live versus what many may be used to, but like anything that is different, it need not be considered inferior.
the living situations for work -related 'tours of duty' are actually, in many ways, fulfilling. years ago, we did 6 months in Baku to work the oil business, several weeks off, then back. the on-location conditions made working an easy focus, productive, and work/non work was nicely integrated. This was similar to the period of constructing the Alaska pipeline.
Ennis was perfectly comfortable in such a situation. "don't have nothin'...don't need nothin'..." His heart was full of core values and love for his man, his children, and his memories.
Front-Ranger:
Lynn posted an excerpt from the book in her forum today. Looks like it will be published soon!
Lynne:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on February 10, 2007, 04:49:29 pm ---Lynn posted an excerpt from the book in her forum today. Looks like it will be published soon!
--- End quote ---
I think this is the link Lee's referencing:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,9.msg153790.html#msg153790
Thanks, Lee!
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