Deena Omar 2006

London 2006. My first SA4QE. Kleinzeit was my first Hoban book. My first 4qate was the first mention of the yellow paper. Seemed fitting to place it somewhere in the underground, so I carefully tucked it into the edge of the map of the underground on the northbound platform of the northern line at Mornington Crescent. It looked great in all its yellow glory and I felt sure that, despite the emptiness of the platform at that moment, someone would soon come along and not be able to resist reading it. However, the train brought with it an enormous gust of air (as it always does) and, as I boarded, I noticed my yellow paper diving off the map, swirling about madly for a moment before landing gracefully on the floor, still clean on both sides and as yet unstepped-on.

Kleinzeit got out of the train, poured into the morning rush in the corridor. Among the feet he saw a sheet of yellow paper, A4 size, on the floor, unstepped-on. He picked it up. Clean on both sides. He put it in his attaché case. He rode up on the escalator, looking up the skirt of the girl nine steps above him. Bottom of the morning, he said to himself.

from Kleinzeit

This next one I couldn't resist. Camden Town is my local tube station, the one I use almost everyday. The station was packed with weekend visitors and tourists and the usual Saturday afternoon mania. I just had time to place the paper next to the `Please stand on the right' sign at the bottom of the escalators before the wind seemed to carry me, the crowds, the escalators and, for all I know, the yellow paper, up and up into the light.

Camden Station is the windiest tube station I know. Coming up on the escalator with my hair flying I felt as if I was coming out of a dark place into the light, and I laughed because that's what I was actually doing.

from Turtle Diary

Leaving the windiest of tube stations, I headed for the Ladies public toilets situated on the traffic island at the bottom of Camden Parkway. The stairs lead me once more underground, to the entrance and a No Loitering sign. In a cubicle, amongst a flattened empty can of Red Bull and a discarded needle, I loitered awhile then placed the following:

There aint that many sir prizes in life if you take noatis of every thing. Every time wil have its happenings out and every place the same. What ever eats mus shit.

from Riddley Walker

My intention was for the next 4qate to happen in St. Michael's Church on Camden Road, near the station. I sensed I would need to be particularly furtive 4quating in a church. It was not meant to be, however, as the church was closed, so the following quote ended up folded and placed between `A history of African Christianity 1950 – 1975' and `Laboratory Earth' in the MIND second hand shop just over the road. I like to think it was very happy there.

There is a mystery that even God cannot fathom, nor can he give the law of it on two stone tablets. He cannot speak what there are no words for; he needs divers to dive into it; he needs wrestlers to wrestle with it, singers to sing it, lovers to love it. He cannot deal with it alone, he must find helpers, and for this does he blind some and maim others.

from Pilgermann

My last 4qate, also from Pilgermann, was in the monstrous and soul free zone that is the Barbican Centre. I had intended this quote for a cinema, but ended up here for a concert and putting it behind something by Kafka in Farringdon's (the bookshop). Like all the others, the quote was followed by Russ' name, relevant book title and the SA4QE url. So, somewhere in here is the story of my first SA4QE.

One of the great things about the Kraken is not always needing to explain.

…a story is what remains when you leave out most of the action; a story is a coherent sequence of picture cards: One: Samson in the vineyards of Timnah; Two: the lion comes roaring at Samson; Three: Samson tears the lion apart. That's a story but actually the main part of the action may have been that there was a butterfly in Samson's field of vision the whole time. The picture cards don't show the butterfly because if they did they would have to explain it. But you can't explain the butterfly.

from Pilgermann

Happy Birthday Mr. Hoban. Happy Birthday Kraken.

Love Deena