Reading University campus, and W. is full of dread. He has the feeling it's about to go terribly wrong. What, our presentation? No, no – more than that, W. says. Something catastrophic is about to happen.
Of course, Reading would appal him, I knew that. Not the whole area. The Thames Valley, west of London, the endless suburbs, driveways packed with Land Rovers … He shakes his head. How did I manage to survive here? How did I to grow to adulthood?
It's suicide country, W. says. He's full of thoughts of suicide, not least because some visiting academic is bound to pun on the name of the town. The university of reading … oh God, oh God.
This has to be last time, W. says. This has to be the last one, the last dog and pony show. It's true, we came here against our better judgement. We were invited, personally invited, and how could we refuse? Our trouble is, we're too polite, W. says. We want to please people, despite everything.
How will we survive? We need a rallying point, for one thing. – 'Look for a bar!' We need a place of safety, W. says. We need a panic room. And we need a general strategy. – 'Keep your head down, talk to no one'.
Lars Iyer's Blog 