Getting used to British culture

 Throughout the summer as I was combing through the news I would make sure to read articles about Britain thoroughly.  That’s how I learned about the death of Benson, England’s favorite fish.  In July, the 60 lb. wild carpe passed away in Kingfisher Lake at 25 years old.

I also came across an article in the New York Times: “Briefly Ascending to the Spotlight, Britons Take Their Place Among Giants.”  The article describes the “One & Other” project going on in Trafalgar Square in London.  The square is the beautiful open area that sits in front of the National Gallery and is filled with sculptures including a fountain, giant lions and Charles I on horseback.  However, one section of the square, called the “fourth plinth,” is lacking a permanent structure; sometimes it is topped with a piece of contemporary art, while other times it is just empty.

But for the past two months one different person has mounted the 26-foot-high plinth each hour of the day, 7 days a week.  The plinthers can do just about whatever they want in celebration of free speech. Last week someone got naked.

One of my favorite things about the project is that it is streamed live at www.oneandother.co.uk in very good quality.  This summer whenever I was on the computer at work and had a free minute I would turn it on.  During one lunch break I watched a woman on her motorcycle giving riding lessons to the people down below.

Trafalgar Square was one of the first places I wanted to visit when I had a free afternoon, so on Sunday I took my lunch and planted myself on the steps alongside the plinth.  On top of the platform a man was standing still with an oversized portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s pro-democracy leader who is under house arrest.  

“WHY is he holding a picture of Yoko?” several onlookers wondered aloud as they passed. 

Anyway when the man, Nick, came down I had a chance to talk to him for a little.  During his time on the plinth he wanted to use a peaceful image to show his strong opposition to the military government in Burma, he said.

“When I was selected I hummed and ho’ed over it,” Nick said.  “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to use the moment.”

He told me he really enjoyed his time on the plinth.  The weather was nice and the view was spectacular.  The only problem was that he was in need of a “loo” for most of the time he was up there.

Nick’s stint on the plinth ended on a bright note when he turned on his boom box and played “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburys.  We both agreed it is one of our all-time favorites.

Next up was a man who wanted to interact with his audience.  Once he was situated on the plinth, he took out two signs.  One asked, “Big Mac?”  The other asked, “Wopper?”

He went on to ask passerbys, Stones or Beatles? Pro Evolution Soccer or FIFA? A-Team or Knight Rider?

Marmite Yes or Marmite No? He asked me with his signs. 

“What is Marmite?” I yelled up to him.  He laughed and told me my vote didn’t count for this question.

Next question: Sindy or Barbie?

“Who is Sindy?” I asked. 

He threw his head back and laughed at me and then moved on to the next person.

Later that night I went home and watched the man’s plinth recording online.  I saw myself several times when the camera focused on him asking me questions.  I thought about how I had been watching the Web site from thousands of miles away just days ago.

“I can’t believe there’s someone down there who doesn’t know what Marmite is,” he said to the Web cam.

Well I looked it up. Marmite is a dark brown sticky paste that has a powerful salty flavor.  And Sindy is a fashion doll that was the best-selling toy in the UK in the late 1960s. Slowly but surely I am catching on.