i have seen the writing on the wall…

Try imagining a city chopped in half by a bloody great wall, where everyone on the other side never got to cross over to your side, except under the strictest control and paranoia.  They lived with restricted personal freedoms that we take so much for granted we barely recognize them as freedoms.  They just are.

It’s difficult to get your head around the fact of the Berlin Wall, and communism in general, but it was a fact.  And today, back in 1990, the Berlin Wall was torn down.

I remember watching it on television in stunned amazement.  I grew up with communism.  The end of the Berlin Wall was simply amazing.

A year or so later, I got to see Pink Floyd live in Perth, Western Australia, when they did their The Wall world live tour to celebrate both the tenth anniversary of their landmark album, and the falling of the wall.

Two years ago, my death metal freak son gave me a Pink Floyd The Wall belt buckle.  Normally I don’t go for the big cowboy style belt buckles, but I made an exception for that one.  I’ve been wearing it ever since, every time I wear jeans.  Some of you may have seen it at conventions.  The leather on the belt wears out every now and again, but I replace it and the buckle goes on.

I do love Pink Floyd, especially The Wall.  But the album has a double meaning for me, and the belt buckle has a triple meaning.

Related posts:

1. 11 Things I Wish I’d Known About Full Time Writing When I First Started Writing Novels I’ve been writing full time since June 4, 2009. Although it has been my dearest wish to be a full time writer, the decision to go full time at that...