The Hunch is good, is it not?

Ginny, leaving for a teaching internship in Sweden, was trying desperately to escape her mother’s tight grip, she did not like the idea of her daughter leaving the English countryside for a land with a rather strange culture. Therefore, she thought a basket of grocery items was appropriate, along these were; red onions, spring onions, garlic and sweet potatoes. Her family advised her about the culture in different manners; Ginny’s conservative grandmother thought it necessary to preach politics, as she did not want her granddaughter to be influenced by the Swedish left-wings politics, which Olof Palme had contributed to: “You know all young people are left-wings, then as you grow up, you become right-winged – Nothing to be ashamed about. Her uncle Gilbert thought it was relevant to joke about her teaching style: “Don’t hit kids! – No seriously, they have guns now!” Oh God! School shootings! She thought, and she kept picturing a 7-year old saying “I don’t wanna!”, while pointing a colt at her forehead!

Finally, she set out her adventure. She sailed from Harwich to Esbjerg. A long journey, occupied by finishing Wuthering Heights, and starting Men are From Mars Women from Venus. She arrived at 6 o’clock. Her first impressions of Denmark were idyllic, as three birds sang; a Blue Tit, a Lark and Nightingale. A strange mix of species she thought, and Denmark seemed as a place of diversity and solidarity. When she spotted a sign at the entrance of a park, it confirmed her idea in a quite radical manner; Sex is allowed in the park – but be considerate! Many childcare institutions make use of the park.

On her way to the train to Sweden, she stopped by a café to try Danish pastry, unfortunately she found only factory-made snacks from brands such as Nestlé and Dr. Oetker, so she left. While exiting, she heard two women discussing public breast-feeding: “Why all the fuss about breast feeding in public? I don’t understand, the baby needs to eat – does it not have the right eat? Should we make a low against farting then too? That is pretty disgusting, but it is also a natural thing, like eating!”.

In the train, she noticed the painting The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí in a magazine and wondered about the notions of time, and how fast she had traveled. The faraway culture was not as strange after all – Or was it? Now her eyes caught a glimpse of a phrase on the harbour; Max. 20 km. living children. What? Living children – then if they are dead they are allowed? Hopefully bad translation! At harbour, a sign outside a fence said: Stop! No trespassing – Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again. Socialistic and democratic Sweden? She could easily have mistaken it for the US. Stepping out of the cab, she put on her red lipstick, while a construction-worker flirtatiously smiled at her, holding a hammer, a screwdriver and a box of nails, fastening the door to the ramshackle hotel. Ginny then noticed the street-sign: farawayfromhomestreet.

My List

1. 
   o Grandmother teaching her son politics: ”You know all young people are left-wings, then as you grow up, you become right-winged – That’s just the way it is, nothing to be ashamed about!”
   o Two mothers discussing public breast feeding on the bus: “Why all the fuss about breast- feeding in public? I don’t understand, the baby needs to eat – does it not have the right to food? Should we make a low against farting then also? That is pretty disgusting, but that is also a natural thing!”
2. Blackbird, Blue Tit, Lark
3. Dr. Oetker, Nestle
4. Signs:

• Don't Hit Kids! - No seriously, they have guns now
• Max. 20 km. living children
• No Trespassing - Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again
• Sex is allowed in the park - but be considerate! Many children institutions make use of the park
• Farawayhomestreet (between Elling and Øster Holmen in Frederikshavn municipality)
• Stop

5. Mars
6. Red lipstick
7. 6 o'clock
8. Wuthering Heights
9. The Persistence of Memory
10. Olof Palme
11. Red onion, spring onion, sweet potatoes
12. Hammer, Screwdriver, a box of nails
13. Colt
14. "I don't wanna!"