We Do Entertainment and Fast Food

May 6, 2021

Albuquerque, NM to Amarillo, TX
Miles Today: 301
Total miles: 2,469
Gas in NM: $2.79

 What we're good at

Here I am with my friend, cardboard Gus Fring. One thing I learned from living overseas is that the major influences in and exports from the U.S. are entertainment and fast food. I can't say we're good at either one of them, but we are prolific. One thing we are very good at that some of the countries I've visited were lacking in is construction safety. And we probably have our propensity for litigation to thank for that.
The 'real' world of American culture is heavily influenced by the entertainment industry and pop culture, and nothing makes our dreams come true like being able to see where our favorite characters made meth and dissolved bodies.

It happened to Albuquerque

Anyway, Albuquerque was lucky enough to be the setting for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Some are unhappy about that, because what generally comes along with fan worship is a sense of entitlement and ownership of the places and people from our favorite stories. This attitude leads to a lack of privacy for some, and can include people throwing pizza onto the roof of your garage. 

Let's monetize this

It's not unusual to cash in on this type of craving people have to try to make their favorites come to life. It's something I spent a fair amount of time judging and poo-pooing. But I guess I've been back in the U.S. long enough to dive in and try to grab the fantasy just like other fans. And my visit to the Breaking Bad store was everything I wanted and more. 

They had a museum with fan art and bona fide props. I dove right in. There were t-shirts and aprons and shot glasses and coasters, mugs, masks, monopoly, and blue rock candy. It was nuts, and I spent fifty bucks. But what I also got was a man behind the counter (the owner) who shared my enthusiasm for the fantasy I was chasing. I asked him about one scene that was filmed in front of a yellow wall. I wanted to see that wall.  He knew exactly what I was talking about, and told me that it exists, that it is blocked off, and that they recreated the wall for filming somewhere else because there wasn't enough room to get the shots they wanted.

Have an A-1 day every day

Yes, you can take a tour of the sites in the show in a crappy RV. I absolutely would have done this if I had known about it in advance. One location I did go to was the site of the A-1 car wash. I thought I might actually get my car washed there, as it was pretty darned dusty and buggy, but I didn't want to bust my fantasy bubble by having a mundane interaction with someone who definitely would not be Flynn.

I took a picture from far out in the parking lot, and there was another fan doing the same thing. I shouted over to him, "All I need is for someone to tell me to have an A-1 day!" So he did, and I wished him the same. That connection to a real person was facilitated by our interest in something that didn't exist. But the last year (or five) has created enough distortion that 'reality' slips, making room for fiction; this fiction has been necessary for many of us to contend with reality. We've been forced to release the grip a little.