Get Off Our Property

"Get Off Our Property" by LiLi

Yes. Them. Exactly them.

It's almost traumatic. They haunt me, right? Months after and they haunt me.

The very first time I flew to Austin, I met these people. For real. Do they look nice to you? Maybe. For me, they are not.

Ok, I have to say, they were older. I think. But! The same energy. Oh yeah, I can recognize their energy.

Me, I flew to Jaya in the United States... for me another world. I come from France in a suburb of Paris, where all is damn different... the places, the weather, the environment, the languages, the expressions, the feelings and... the people.

I heard a lot before coming to Austin. People seemed to be smiling all the time to me in this place... like shining, as if the sun were always a part of them. People seemed to be positive and greatly open. They are. Yes, they are. Except these women.

I met them for real the very first day I landed. Ok, maybe the third day, but whatever. I did not know anything about Austin. Except Jaya. Except his craziness. Except his love and his intensity. Except the music all around. Arts everywhere. The Mexican foods and other pretty stuff that I was sure I would love. But what I definitely ignored was that. these. kind. of. people. could. exist.

It's like a movie. Yeah, you watch a movie and you laugh because you know how stupid is it. And, above all, how you would never meet this situation.

I don't know if it was because it's me, but I have known this exact situation. Much more than a situation. Angry. No, not angry. Mad. The insane mad. Yes, mad.

See, there are mad people around the world. Even in Austin. They exist.

The story. Yes, the story. We were walking in the heat, Jaya and I. I was with my huge bag at this time, and I think (but not sure) that Jaya and I were fighting about something. Well, not surprise about that, 'cause we fight all the time. We are like that.

And I had an idea. A great idea, I have to say. Of course, it's me! I say to Jaya, "I need to rest for a while. Come sit with me under this tree."

Yeah, I repeat, the weather was too warm for me. I come from Paris where rain and clouds are a part of us. And here in Austin it was warmth, sun, heat, and I was tired. Jaya should carry me or at least carry my bag, but sometimes Jaya is baaaaaad. I love you Jaya if you read these words. I love teasing him. He loves teasing me. Yeah we are special.

Bref !!!! ! We sat under this tree and started to smoke. Just being together and taking a nice break from this walk was nice and great. But, suddenly we heard yells. I quickly turned my head and what did i see?

These. Them. These two mad women.

And for their "Welcome to Austin, dear little madame", they yelled, "GET OFF OUR PROPERTY !!!!!! !"

Well at this time my English was lite and I did not recognize the words at all. But I could guess just by seeing their faces... that it was not a welcome word, not love words, not even friendly, not even nothing. I looked at Jaya like O.o and thought, "What the fuck are they yelling?"

Jaya stood up quickly and told them something, but what??? I don't know. What I know is that they had guns and were really threatening.

Look, ok, in France there are crimes, and bad stuffs, and it sucks in many places. Yes, we are not in "au pays de candy" place (you should know "au pays de candy" is a cartoon that I watched when i was little, but that's off subject). I guessed that in Austin too it was not "au pays de candy" neither, but damn. These kind of women are real?

Never, never have I seen that. I have seen guys really messed up, really dangerous, and so on, but these two women made me afraid. Really.

So we left the place.

And that was my very first contact with people in Austin. I should be traumatized or something, but no. Not at all. Fortunately I met others that I loved.

And I laugh by seeing this photo.

Yes, they are smokers. No, they are not cool. Yes, they were almost the same as the actual women. Yes, the actual women were even worse... older, worse, and I could definitely not teach them French so that I could say, "Hey!! Nice to meet you, too. I come from Paris. Do you like croissants and red wine?" I don't say that I'm just a croissant and red wine. I say that I'm not the only girl who wanted to rest under their tree on their property.

"GET OFF OUR PROPERTY!!!" They were the very first words that I learned from anyone other than Jaya. And I would never forget them. The words. And them.

I love Austin. No joke. This was just a glimpse that I never encountered again. It was just a funny pretty image that does not exist. I think they came from another planet, just to say "hello" to me, and after this they just disappeared.

So, if you are one day in Austin, and you are warm and tired with your heavy bag and you need to rest:

DON'T. EVER. SIT. UNDER. A. TREE. NEAR. A. HOUSE.

...more photography and favorites from LiLi here on Tumblr...