Monday, March 26, 2007
Fun park apocalypse. On Saturday night I was waiting for a tram on the corner of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets when an unsettling scene greeted my eyes. There was a monstrous carnival ride looming some twenty metres into the night sky outside QV. It consisted of two pendulum-like arms with people strapped into carriages at each end. Lurid lights spelled out its name... The Hangover!
The arms began their slow, inexorable motion, swinging at first only back and forth, but seemingly building up momentum and swinging higher each time. It began to rain, fat drops shining silver in the Hangover's neon lights and slamming into the crowd of pedestrians assembled on the corner. Screams drifted from the people strapped into the Hangover as its twin arms swung heavily harder. The screams grew higher and louder with each swing. The Hangover arms were so perilously high by now that they seemed about to kiss in mid-air, instantly pulverising all within.
The screams reached a fever pitch as the two Hangover arms whooshed past each other and dropped down. The crowd stood like puddings, staring impassively in the rain.
I felt I had witnessed a truly savage spectacle.
The arms began their slow, inexorable motion, swinging at first only back and forth, but seemingly building up momentum and swinging higher each time. It began to rain, fat drops shining silver in the Hangover's neon lights and slamming into the crowd of pedestrians assembled on the corner. Screams drifted from the people strapped into the Hangover as its twin arms swung heavily harder. The screams grew higher and louder with each swing. The Hangover arms were so perilously high by now that they seemed about to kiss in mid-air, instantly pulverising all within.
The screams reached a fever pitch as the two Hangover arms whooshed past each other and dropped down. The crowd stood like puddings, staring impassively in the rain.
I felt I had witnessed a truly savage spectacle.
