Words From A Beating Heart

Every decision we make in life has some element of risk. Faced with two choices, each contains risk, even if one path appears to be the safer of the two. What might seem the secure choice in the short term might end up being the one most fraught with danger down the road.



Tommy Williams is the first zombie that I became friends with. I suppose it goes without saying that this was a risky proposition for both of us, although it was far more dangerous for him than it was for me. Laws are in place to give me some protection, whereas for Tommy and other zombies, their very existence is considered to be an unlawful act by some. If I'm being honest, though, which is something I always try to be, our becoming friends didn't feel like a risky or radical act. It just seemed the right thing to do. I have many, many friends who are zombies now, and Tommy has friends and admirers among us "traditionally biotic" people.



But now Tommy is taking another risk. He is going to travel, alone, around the country. There's many reasons why he is doing this, and he has many goals, some of which he's talked about and some he keeps to himself. He's leaving a community where, although these sentiments are not universal, he is respected and loved by many people. He's leaving this environment to visit places in our country where he will not be welcomed. He's travelling to places where, if the reports are true, zombies are routinely destroyed or "reterminated" by people who have no interest in understanding "differently biotic" people.



So Tommy is taking a trip with great risk. But knowing him as I do, he doesn't consider the risk. All he considers is that it is the right thing to do.



I'm worried about him, of course, but I wouldn't try to stop him or convince him to do anything other than what he's doing. But in writing this, I'm hoping that I can convince others to help remove some of the risk from his journey. If you see Tommy "on the road", say hello. I think he lives a lonelier life than any living, breathing person can imagine. If you see him, let him know where he needs to be careful and where he might be in danger. Let him know also where he would be accepted, because I think that will help him on his way.



Karen and I will be moderating mysocalledundeath for the time that Tommy is on the road, and we hope to soon have some of his correspondence to post before too long--he's leaving tomorrow. We'll also be writing a few posts of our own to fill the time in between--but don't be surprised if the blog is "silent" for awhile--there's a lot going on here in Oakvale.



Thanks for reading,

Phoebe

PS: We're having a little trouble with the site, so comments might not be posted for awhile.

1000

One thousand people, zombie and otherwise, have now joined the wall. I can't wait to meet some of you out on the road.

Phoebe promises me that she will write an installment of "Words from a Beating Heart" for the blog by the end of the week.

Stay tuned...

Itinerary Completed

Thank you, everyone who sent in suggestions telling me where to go (everyone, that is, except poster "RevMathers"--you can guess where he told me to go.

Here are the final official stops for the Zombies Across America Tour:


Denver, Colorado
Cleveland,Ohio
Omaha, Nebraska

Kelsey, MaliceinWonderland,Werewolf Moon and Sonakaru should all send me an email with an address I can send a Generation Dead wristband to.

In other news, we somehow had another 72 people post their names to the Wall in the past 8 days. Maybe we could get 1000 by the end of summer?

Rumor has it that I am not the only one taking a trip, btw. The word on the street is that Pete Martinsberg is also going to be leaving Oakvale for an undisclosed amount of time. Does anyone have any information on that?

Z.A.A. + The Growing Horde

800 people on the Wall! How did that happen?

A few more people will be sent wristbands if they email me at TommyWilliams17 at aol.com:

CrazedKittyCat for suggesting Pekin, Illinois.

YourDeadFriendBee for suggesting Los Angeles, California.

Axel, for suggesting Marietta, Georgia.

On my swing into Georgia I might visit Montgomery county. I read a story recently about Montgomery County High School that disturbed me--the high school holds two proms, which are referred two by many students as "the white-folks prom" and "the black folks prom". I have to admit that I was amazed that there would be racially segregated events in any high school today;if America cannot clear these existing hurdles, I can't imagine that we'll ever see the day were zombies are fully included with living society.

You can read the article HERE.

I've got three more stops to select for Zombies Across America--keep those suggestions coming!

Zombies Across America

I'll be making a stop in Netcong, NJ. Thanks to SNZA for the suggestion. SNZA, let me know where I can send your wristband.

That's four stops locked up--I need six more. Please keep your suggestions coming.

Housekeeping

We've had a number of new people put themselves on the Wall--the horde is 750 strong!--so I thought I'd do a little updating for the newbies and newlydeads.

I'm Tommy Williams, this is my blog. I try to write about things that are happening in the zombie community. You can click onto the wall in the link at the right and join the virtual Wall, which is open to traditionally biotic and differently biotic people alike.

Every so often either Phoebe or Karen will write a guest blog. Come to think of it, neither has written here for awhile so I'll bug them.

I'm going to be taking a trip across America soon, and am looking for place to visit--if you think that your town would be a good place to check out, either because it is hospitable or hostile to zombies, let me know. Post to the blog and let me know where, and whether you think the town is pro or con zombie. Pro con zombie is not a delicious dip that tastes great with tortilla chips; that would be chili con carne.

Thanks to Lily Benan for suggesting a visit to Charleston, S.C. She, like the other nine people whose towns are chosen, will be sent a wristband from the Skip Slydell collection. So far I'll be going to Charleston, New Orleans and Memphis.

Stay whole,

T.

Can I Visit Your Hometown II?

I've decided on two stops of my tour, which I'm calling Zombies Across America.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Memphis, Tennessee

Many thanks to Gabrielle and Fantastic Book Review for the suggestions. If you are either Gabrielle or Fantastic Book Review and would send me an email with an address I can send you a gift--a wristband that shows your support of the undead--I'll get it in the mail right away. My email addy is

TommyWilliams17 at aol.com

I've still got eight more stops to locate, so please keep the selections coming. I haven't been through all of the posts yet, so if you've already posted your suggestion you still have a chance.