Sitting in oversized cars, idling in the national park, watching nations fight like bull elk during a rut. Tourists, comfortable in their plush seats push plump faces into glass drooling over nature's spectacles — two warring bull elk fighting for future generations. The winner has a chance to exist in eternity, the loser's blood line ends here, in this very moment, witnessed through glass. The fur-patched one thrusts his six-point rack into the scarred one, who resists the penetration with his own beautiful rack of thorns — each now dripping with torn fur and blood. Encouraged by their parents, the children of the tourists cheer for their champion — brother turns on sister, long running family feuds now projected through this bet, witnessed through glass. The action is too intense — cars sway back and forth as antlers thrust while a field of females graze in the golden field, awaiting the outcome. The scarred one propels fur-patch away, but as if inspired by muffled moans from the cars, fur-patch twists his opponent to the ground — an epic take-down worthy of a medal, fortunately captured on film. Front leg broken, he hobbles off, as the crowd grimaces in sympathy, witnessed through glass. But the tourists, still staring at their windows — suddenly wide-eyed, jaws agape, momentarily mesmerized, as fur-patch mounts his chosen mate, in the golden field. What is he doing to her, Daddy? Is she letting him do this? Flushed faces squirm in the front seats. I don't know, we were only here to watch the fight. Eyes dart around like raccoons, caught in the trash. Conversations awkwardly change to lunch and vacation plans but the tourists stop again, as scarred-one crosses the road, with his broken leg. Tourists with immense force, and full-focus, palms beading with sweat, stare straight ahead at scarred-one, hobbling — wishing he would move faster, under their breath. Ignoring, pushing out of their minds, what fur-patch is doing in the golden field below, just off to their right — trapped, as a witness through glass.
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The entire time you spoke of 'through the window' I thought of 'through the screen'. And then to cement the fact that once the scene became sexual parents became awkward. America has a taboo with sex but is just fine to show pieces of intense violence.
Then the walking of the looser, it's awkward because they, the people, simply cannot run it over.
This was a great scene to get into.
Hope all is well Josh! loved your stream with Ian.
What a stark contrast. As vivid and confusing as such a scene might be, what I'm struck by is that the bull elk's ritual is as real as it gets. The cars, glass windows, heated seats and CarPlay—THAT'S the abstraction. I really appreciate how you showed one through the perspective of the other, too; a good reminder.