A MONTH AT THE SLABS---Part 3 conclusion

I went to the Slabs like Thoreau went to Walden Pond--to see what it had to teach.
And I enrich my presence there with friends,  so I have two experiments running sinultaneously; will show you some pictures then give you my conclusions.

Look carefully at this bad photo, taken at the Range theater.  This young flute player HAS WINGS.

I remembered her from weeks ago at Quartzsite where I took a slightly better pict.  She was very elusive, turning her head; would have loved to see up close how they were attached.

Meet Doc 420 a stable character at the Slabs---member of the board--a well spoken, intelligent guy I chatted with at some length.  He unashamedly wears dresses every day.  That's his house behind him.

Meet Cuervo, the mule riding, mystery man who stormed the stage while I was performing. No one seemed to know where he lived or how he managed to feed his animals.

Builder Bill, the stable mind and able hands that constructs things;  If the Slabs were a watch, he would be its  mainspring.  Here he is performing around the evening fire at the oasis.

Here is Pish in a self made costume, marching with her doggie in the Tomato Festival parade. Note the tomato she carries atop a  stick.  She is a lovely and complicated person I had the pleasure of engaging at length.

Local personages (Royalty)from Niland, Ca--home of the Tomato Festival.

Slab organizations sent perhaps the most entrants to the Parade.  The sign says: SLAB CITY LOVES NILAND.

Also from Slab City--this float representing EAST JESUS--an artist colony on its northern fringe.

And look!  Its Doc 420--riding his bicycle backwards the entire parade route.

Local futurist making their statement.

 A family of 4? establishing their "homestead".

The HOLE!  See the gushing water?  It's from a spring a half mile away.  Slabbers stand in the hole to  shower.  I've done it several times over the years;  one of the great showers of my life.

Here's the spring ---about body temperature--much used by Slabbers.

Nightime around the Oasis campfire--musicians take turns entertaining us.

I'm atop a tower overlooking the art colony of East Jesus. Down there was once a trash dump.  Container Charley chose to live there in his (insulated) steel container and fashion art pieces from the Junk.  When he suddenly died a few years ago, I wrote his eulogy:

Container Charlie

He was lost---so he went to the slabs

for meaning and warmer weather.

Lost souls cluster here;

less lost for being together.

He staked his claim in a trashy dump;

began to shape art from junk.

Made his home in a steel container;

hunkered down like a monk.

Slowly, work by work he found himself;

began to feel his power;

named his acreage East Jesus;

built a zen-like tower.

Morphing rubbish into spectacle;

shaping sculpture from his mind;

made a thousand artsy items

of the whimsey kind.

And the world beat a path to his door.

And as he brought light to that space,

he forged a confident identity

in that most unlikely place.

Better than lemons to lemonade;

trash into art---go see them.

Man finds himself in a pile of trash

and builds a fine museum

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  I trust by now you have a fair hint of the Slabs. Here's what I think:

1. I think it is a wonderful, accidental experiment--tolerated and subsidized to some extent by authorities of Imperial County.

2. It is an approximate ANARCHY---minimal government--that has validated one of their prime contentions:  WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE WILL SELF ORGANIZE. The 5 major clubs that formed there are real and satisfying communities of order, duration, adaptability.  They survive and thrive at minimal expense, WITHOUT TAXING THE GENERAL POPULATION.

3. It is practically free of prejudice, welcoming all.

4. It is practically free of the profit motive--no rent, no property taxes.

5. It is an inexpensive mental institution for some personalities that in conventional society would require very expensive care.  It saves the state millions while providing a tolerant place to be.  It is a gentle challenge to these personalities  encouraging their theraputic adaptation.

6. It does little or no harm to conventional society.

7. It is fun, exciting, challenging to find ones place in this community.

8. It is a free refuge for the weary, the stressed, the lonely.

9. The rise and fall of Slabs population can be a bellwether for crises in the larger society.

THAT'S JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.  You could probably add to this list.

I SAY--LET THERE BE MORE SLABS--ALL ACROSS THE NATION--ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.  Let there be refuges for the weary, the uncomfortably different, the wildly creative who shock conventional society.  Let us make maverick sanctuaries and save a ton of money.