United States of Russia and the New Republic of Canada

I awoke in a sweat… I was trying to make my way south to Arizona, my winter retreat. At the border is this great wall, Chinese people with guns are walking along the top of it keeping watch, why do they have guns? Am I in China.. am I still dreaming and how come I can understand what they are saying?

What is with these huge hot air balloons that are floating on the other side of the wall? They all have messages printed on them ‘United States of Russia’  ‘Visitors not welcome’ and ‘Stay on your own side’. What the heck?

I look back to where I have come from and there in the sky are more hot air balloons on this side. ‘Confucius says: people that live in glass houses have nothing to hide’ ‘The new Republic of Canada’ and there on that big fat round balloon is a picture of Justin with a moniker underneath saying ‘Chairman Trudeau’ .. he looks gorgeous.

This wall looks amazing though.. it must have cost a fortune to build, I wonder who paid for it? I look again at my side and now I notice the people, lots of people and cars everywhere! The traffic is non-stop.. well except here at the border. What is this haze hanging over us .. is it smog?

I get out of my car to join a line-up to the gates. I ask a woman my age what is going on, I just want to get to Arizona and my winter home there. She says “Lucky you, to be able to afford the huge bribes to get across”. “Personally I hate the fingerprinting and long Pledge everyone has to recite and sign before they let you in” She then assures me I would hate the chip they attach to my skin even more!

She is here to hopefully pick up her sister. She was caught trying to escape after living there for 40 years with her American husband (he passed away), she was jailed and is now being deported.

I look back through the smog at the snow, I picture my sunny warm place in Yuma. Mentally I add up what is in my bank account, how much is a bribe I wonder, and will it hurt much when they attach the chip?