The Television Antenna
I drove past a homeless encampment. Domiciles that defied description flashed before my eyes. Some were like centaurs in that they were half of something and half of something else. Such as: half tent, half truck; half RV, half shipping crate; half plywood shack, half tepee; half tarp, half dog house. You get the idea.
Something attached to the roof of one of the domiciles caught my attention. I did a double take. It was a rooftop television antenna, a real behemoth. Pure analog from the 1970s. How it came to be installed there, well…no matter. The better question is why install a non-functioning television antenna atop a domicile in a homeless encampment. I have pondering the answer ever since.
Possible answers:
- Insanity
- A big fat joke
- A thin fuck you
- Cultural commentary
- Art
- Something to do
- To communicate with aliens
- Sly obnoxious symbol
- Lightning rod
I invite your answers. I’m leaning toward a combination of #2 and #5. Why? Because I laughed when I saw the antenna and I immediately grasped the intent of the artist.