“DO WHAT NOW?”
THE BIRTH OF COOL’EH
AMSTERDAM: APRIL 2003

The fall of Baghdad is underway; the BBC seems slightly better than CNN all things considered. They have less bunting and the footage seems somewhat less censored. A minute ago we were examining the menu in Abraxis but now we are on the street. My associate took offense to something the owner did and was asked to leave the premises. There is a driving rain outside, with the wind blowing so hard water seems to be traveling parallel to the ground. It is also cold and of course I packed neither gloves nor hat nor waterproof jacket. While my associate is ranting about the hospitality of the Dutch or lack thereof a tall man riding a bike calls out to no one in particular: kill the Arabs, kill them all…why not? He repeats this as he rides past us languidly, you would think it was a summer afternoon, he is in no rush. I am already soaked through and we have no idea where the hotel is. The only option is to find another coffeeshop and try to stay there until this all dies down. The wind gusts, my associate is now suggesting that he ride a stolen Vespa through the interior of the next place we find all the while asking “Is this cool, this is cool ‘eh?” Why not?
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