Urbanism of the Triple XXX

Experimentalprocessinsite-seeingforurbandesignersandarchitects,utilizingJaneRendell’s “prepositionalapproach”referencedbyRegnerRamosin“SanJuanQueer,”from Queer Sites in Global Contexts (2020).For“AQueerHinterlands,”2022MUD ThesisprojectbyTannerVargas.

Fragment 1

“Stick Shift”

Transcriptedstigmas

(seeingthroughindexicalnarratives)

Fragment 2

“Shimmerspace”

Subjectivelegibilities

(seeingthroughpositionalanalysis)

Fragment 3

“A Great Place to Hang Your Hat”

Embodiednarratives

(seeingthroughunexpectedintimacies)

Fragment 4

“Mountain Dews and Southern Chews”

Accumulatedreviews

(seeingthroughopinionatedalgorithms)

Fragment 5

“Small Town Sex Collective”

Projectedactivisms

(seeingthroughfuturescenarios)

Fragment6

“ChitChat”

Archivedforums

(seeingthroughlocalizedlanguage)

Fragment 7

“Slow Burn”

Reflectivemelodies

(seeingthroughculturalgenre)

Fragment8

“So Long As: A Theory of Thresholds”

MonstrousBoundaries

(seeingthroughinterdisciplinarytheory)

Fragment9

“Temporality of the Tempting Shed”

Temporalprocesses

(seeingthroughproductiveshimmers)

Fragment 1 – Stick Shift

Aconversationwithmymotherandfatherabouttheoldsexshopattheedgeoftown:

TANNER: I never thought I’d return to Vernon for my “work,” but here we are. I’ve been thinking about that old triple XXX place on the highway lately Where it is, what it’s been, how it’s perceived and what it connects… and I remembered dad’s story It’s the only memory I really have connected to the place besides the generalized whish of it going by; the swell of the tall sign against the flat fields around it, its rundown aesthetic, the gravel and the grass patches. I couldn’t remember all the details, I just remember you had to park there and your car drifted and you almost died and you were worried about the newspaper?

RUBEN (father): Right, we were going to the Dallas Cowboys game

T: What year is this? Time of year? Fall, I guess, because of the football game

R: It’s fall, during you know, football season. I don’t know the exact day…

DEANNA (mother): I’d say four or five years ago, wasn't it?

D: Maybe October No, probably longer than that because I was still teaching

T: Yeah, I thought it was a bit longer than that [In my mind I wasn’t even alive, meaning 24 years]

R: It’s been over 10 years But I bought and put a big grill in the back of my pickup And I tied it down And Grandpa Vargas used to always say, “if you tie something down, you go down the road, you need to pull over and check it; to be sure it’s still tied down ” So I was going full speed, and at the triple XXX place I pull over, into the drive not that far into it but just out of the road and I got down to check it So I put it in park and got out [of the pickup] And, unfortunately, I didn’t put it in park Unbeknownst to me, I put it in reverse So when I got out, and stepped out, the door knocked me over on my ass and I grabbed the door elbow rest and hung on for dear life And it was just dragging me back towards the highway slowly My feet were under the door and it was dragging me, and try and try as I might, I couldn’t get up And if I let go, I was afraid the front left tire was gonna run over me

T: Yeah [it definitely would’ve].

R: ‘Cause my body was being dragged right behind the tire So, I just, I heard cars honking as my truck was slowly going onto the highway I was scared for my life and then I thought, “Oh shit I’m gonna die in front of the triple XXX place ”

D: (laughs)

R: What are people gonna say, you know?

T: Because you’re a coach, right?

R: Huh?

T: Since you’re a coach, and people know you by now?

R: Oh God, Yes! Yes! And I, so I thought “oh my God, that’s gonna be so bad I can’t die in front of the triple XXX ” And so, with every strength of energy I had, I I pushed up hard as I could to get the steering wheel, and I barely got it

T: (laughing) Would you say that the fear of dying in front of the triple XXX store saved your life?

R: That’s it That’s it Honest to God, honest to God And so I grabbed it, and by that time my truck was over the right lane and starting to veer into the left lane so cars could still get out of the way So I got on there, and I put it in drive, and went back in there and made sure this time was in park

D: (laughs)

R: And I said a prayer, and I was just like, “Thank you, God ” It was terrible Just absolutely terrible. And I pulled every freaking leg muscle, arm muscle…

ALL: (laughs)

R: And I could hardly walk I was so spent trying to do that

D: But, did it stop you from going to the game?

R: (immediately) Oh, hell no

ALL: [laughs]

R: I took it as a sign! I couldn’t miss the game.

T: So was it still a triple XXX store when that incident happened?

R: It had to be Had to be for me to say that

Fragment 2 – Shimmerspace

We’ddrivepastitonthewaytoWichita—onlylocalsdroppedthe“Falls”fromWichita Falls—goingeightyonUSHWY287.Itwasoneofthoseuniquelyspecificlandmarksthathas anunbelievableauratoit,almostlikeitcouldallbefake;amiragerisenfromthedusty, sun-beatenearthofnorthTexas.Itdoesn’ttakemuchtostandoutinthislandscape,butthis paint-peeledstandalonestructureseemedtoshout.

I’dbedrawingrollercoasterswithcrayonsinthebackseatatsixyearsold,pointingat thebigsignwiththreeredX’sandasking what is that mama?Yearslater,atthirteenwith headphonesin,I’dglancerightandcountthecarsinthelot(therewerenevermany).At twenty-threeItriedmakingoutthehandwrittensignagefromafailedrestaurantcookedinthe bellyoftheoldsexshop: Punjabi Dhaba, truckers welcome, open.Atrailer,structurally compromisedandLoneStarflag-painted,leanednervouslyintheshadowofthepitchedtinroof. Eachfuzzyvignettestirsatrioofadjectives:monumental,desolate,unknown.

There’snotmuchbyit,really.TheTripleXXXlotsitsalmostperfectlybetweenthecity ofVernon(population10,078circa2020)andtheunincorporatedcommunityofOklaunion (population138circa2000),surroundedbyfarmlandandtheoccasionalranch-stylehome.The buildingitselfisjustafewcountyroadsnorthofthelocalpowerplant,approximately27,905 feetawayfromthecitycourthousedowntown.Itbecomesakindofannouncement:thatoneis outofVernon,movingbetween,atsomekindofnegotiableperiphery.

Today,theTripleXXXsignisonlyahint.Onlythosethatgrewup,oratleastbecame familiarwith,thestretchof183wouldbeabletonotice:youhadtoknowwhatyouwerelooking for Threepairsoffadedredplasticshapes,seeminglyrippedfromtheirsockets,adornedthetop andbottomrailsofthesign.Themiddlecriss-crossofeachXwasgone,likethestoreitself.An unsuretinroof,pitchedinthreeanglesoneachside,reflectedtheinsufferablebrightnessofthe Texassun.Red-rustedpatcheslitteredthepeakinstaccatorhythm,muchlikethepanelsonthe gasstationremnantinfront.Thepavilionstructureringsfamiliartodrivers,withitsthinpoles andraisedconcretebedssuggestingthepresenceofgaspumpsandparkedcars.Neitherarehere now,underthered-black-and-whitepaintedawning,replacedinsteadbyrippedplywoodand brokenfurniture.Halfaredheartispaintedatitscenter.Therectangularbuildingsitsbehindit, paintedadifferentshadeofred,withnowindowsapartfromtheglass-mullionairlockentry placedatthecenterofthesoffitoverhang.Totherearisaleaningmesquitetree,kissingthe building,almostalwaysbrownerthanseemspossible.(intimatedetail?)

Thebuildingmeetsthelotpavementwithasmackofindifference,withnetworksof semi-greenweedssnakingabout.Onemighthearthescrapeoftumbleweedsortherattlingof corrugatedmetalbeingrippedfromitshome.Inside,withnowindowsapartfromtheentry doors,theultimateblackboxhintsatheterotopia.Lookingoutfromthesedoors—theonly perforationbeingcentrallylocated—onemightseetherushofcars,theshadowoftheXXX,or

eventhescurryingofprarielifeaboutthescatteredobjects.Achippingclawfoottub;crimson paintedconcreteblocks;antiquecars.Aroundthestructurearefieldsofcotton,hauntedbythe shadowsofghost-whitewindmills.Thesilvertrunksofpowerinfrastructuregroundthelinesthat hangoverhead,travelingoutwardtothehorizonthatneverends.Atnight,orange-whitelights twinkleineverydirection.Itisquietwithoutthecars.

ThebuildingshimmerseverytimeIseeit.Yes,thetinroofisreflectingthemerciless beamsofsun,andsure,aglimmerfromthecrackedporcelainbathtubmightcatchmyeye,but whatImeanby shimmer inthiscaseisreallyaboutperceptionandlegibility.Fromadistance,all onecanseearetheverticalsignpoles,apitchedroofsetback,andaflatpavilionstructurein front:thefamiliartypologyofagasstation.Asonegetscloser,thesignmaycausepanic—it revealsnoinformation,noglowingnumbersorredletters.Thosefamiliarenoughmaybethrown intofurtherambiguity;whereisthepriceforgas?Wasthisarestaurant?CoulditbetheXXX? Sometimespeopleseemtolivethere,withthesmallfingerprintsofdomesticretrofittingvisible. Whatonearthishappeninghere,andwhyisitsohardtodiscern?

TheTripleXXXstorefitsintoaknownsequenceofspaceandplace;aheroicnodeonthe transportiveinfrastructureofstatehighways,ofthewayinandout.Partofwhatmadethe structurereadsospecificallyiconiceachtripwasitsverticality;howitroseandfellinthe landscapemovingby.Overtimeitwasitstemporality,inuseandexpression,thatgavelongtime travelersandlocalsroomforpause.EvenonGoogleEarth,theprimarymodeofsiteaccessfor anyonefarfromthe940zipcodeorunwillingtoriskthedangersofurbanex-ing,thebuilding refuseslegibility.Whenplacedontheground,onecanscrollforwardorbackwardonthe highwayandlookinanydirection.Travelingeastwardsandlookingsouthtothestructure,one canscrollandscrollandscroll—asifdriving—until,foronlyamoment,thebuilding’soldlifeas transgressorbecomeslegible.Interestingly,thesummer-greengrassofthemostrecentimagery slipsbacktothedeadbrownofwinter,whenthreecrimsonX’sleeroverthesitesoontobe consumedbynatureandmemory.

Thewhirofhighwaytires;therelentlessflatnessofthenorthTexaslandscape;the heraldingscreamofthreeredlettersagainstabackdropofrurality—itreadsasashimmering transgressionofformandcontentintheTexaslandscape.

Fragment 3 – “AGreat Place to Hang Your Hat”

Sunlightslippedacrosstheglossyhood,suggestingabreakintheday’slonglogofmiles.Rich tookaswigofMountainDewfromthefrontseatofhisClass-8DieselFreightliner,glancingat thetimeonthedash:8:20pm.

Richhadbeendrivingfornearlyeighthours,meaningabreakwasonthehorizon.The literalhorizon,atleastfortoday,wasquiet:theback-and-forthconversationofredearthand yellow-greenpasturethreadedtogetheraseeminglyinfiniteamountofscatteredsmalltowns, remotereststops,androguetumbleweeds.HewascaughtintheheatofanorthTexassummer.

Richshiftedgearsandsignaled,turningaheavyheadtothefamiliargreenglintofa highwayreststopexitsign.Alightflickeredonfromthecornerofhiseye,betweenthehighway pavementandexitramp—abillboard.Heturnedhisheadandobservedthesign,alandscape scenefromfiveminutesago:sunset.Thesilhouetteofahorse,cowboyperchedontop,appeared almostasanillustration—or was it a picture?—ofthehorizonRichhadobservedthepastfew “dutyperiods”oftheweek’stripacrosstheAmericansouthwest.Smallshrubsdottedtheground belowthehorseandcowboy,backlitbyavibrantpaletteofyellows,organes,andreds.Text floatedabovethecowboy’shead,adornedwiththefamiliarandiconicsilhouetteoftherugged man’scowboyhat,readinginrusticfontletters:

VERNON: A great place to hang your hat!

The“V”inVernonwasnotablyfashionedtoresembleasteer’shorns,whichmadeRichchuckle. Hehadnohattohang.Thebillboardgrewdistantastheorangewarmthofreststoplights envelopedthecabin.

Thesky’selectricorangefelltoacopperwhisperasRichpulledintoadiagonalspotnear thehumblyfashionedbathroombuilding.Thefreightliner’sheadlightsbaskedthebrownbricks withanairoffamiliarity,thehumofheavymotorscausingnearbywildlifetovanish.Heseemed tobetheonlyonethere.

AmuchsmallerglowappearedfromRich’sdenimpocket.Scrolling,hereclinedthe driver’sseatandundidhisbeltwiththeotherhand.Hisheartbeatincreased.Thoughhewasan expertinthehardinfrastructurescommontocross-countrytrucking,Richwasquicklybecoming anexpertatthesofterinfrastructuresmadepossiblethroughapps,smartphones,and conversations.Eventhelatterisrenderedspatialinvibratingsignalsbouncingoffcelltowers, revealingtheroleoftechnologyinorientingbodiesandtheirrelationtooneanother.Tonighthe wasgoingtoletgo.Hescrolled:

D, 29, 1 mile away

Image: jock torso (skip too much)

Redneck, 30, 1 mile away

Image: pasture sunset (skip too country)

Chauncey, 41, 2 miles away

Image: silver fox (pause too intense, save just in case)

Neil, 33, vers, 3 miles away

Image: professional portrait, average body, no face (long pause )

24, 4 miles

Image: blank (skip, no time for DLs )

Tom, 30, 5 miles

Image: businessman with a soft face (skip not for today)

Rick, 37, 12 miles

Image: wide smile, plaid on denim (skip still not over the lumberjack )

Eve, 24, 16 miles

Image: smiling southern belle (pause…conflicted…)

Hal, 44, 20 miles

Image: nondescript motorbike racer mid-course (pause…impressive)

William, 28, 30 miles

Image: open pasture (skip…another anon)

Richlaidthephoneonhislap,glancingatthecosmicprocessionopeningupinthesky.Astale, stubbornfamiliarityleakedintothecabinashisrightlegbegantapping.Restless.Apracticed fingerslidacrossthesmoothglass,tappingthebioofNeil,33,3milesaway:

here for a good time not a long time Professional GLDL

Triple XXX on 287 from 8-11 Looking for something memorable

Waiting for you in one of the back booths… you’ll know which door is mine by the hat hanging on the handle ��

Richcouldn’tbelieveit.Thelastbitoftext—notanunfamiliarimagetoRich,butstillsaturated withpotentialsubtext—seemedlikeareferencetothetown’ssloganfromthebillboarddownthe road.Far-reachingmemoriesofotherstopsandstores,linkedbythegreatAmericanhighway system,floodedintomemory.IthadbeenfiveyearssinceRichlosthispartner.Thecabinfelt emptysince,likealivingroomafterthenoiseofadinnerpartydiesdownandeveryonehas alreadyleft:smallitemswereoutofplace,footprintsleftonthecarpet,half-fullobjectswaiting tobepickedup.Itwasn’tjustempty—thespacewasyearningforsomethingmissed,goneby.

Vernonwasthreemilesaway Thetruckanditseighteenwheelsslidintoreverse,ared glowcastonthewildlifestilldaringtomeanderneartherestrooms.Thetripmaynottakelong, butitsrippleeffectsmightstayawhile.

Fragment 4 – Mountain Dew and a Southern Chew

Stuckey’s Truck Stop

★★★½ (32 reviews)

$$$$ • Restrooms, Restaurant, Souvenirs • [ Edit]

Closed • Hours updated over 12 months ago

Reviews

Overall Rating: ★★★½ (32 reviews)

5 stars ■■□□□□

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Yelp Sort ▿ Filter ▿ Search ⌕ ——————————————————

Eileen G.

Dallas,TX

☺(0) ⍟ (12) ⌻ (1)

★★★★★ 8/19/1981

◘ 1 photo

Best mountain dew I ever had Shelley was sweet as can be :P

(⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny 1 (⍤) Cool

Roberto G.

Henrietta,TX

☺(2) ⍟ (0) ⌻ (0)

★ 1/2/1982

Wish i could give 0 stars! Went in late on aThursday night to get some eggs for dinner and some machismo guys heckled me for how I walked Cashier did nothing and I ended up leaving empty handed and second guessing. Be careful around here…

3 (⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

Will Vernon,TX

☺(2) ⍟ (5) ⌻ (1)

★★★★½ 7/7/1982

Been coming here for years, the workers have almost always been kind and respectful, the kind of kids who say yes maam no maam Quite a feat considering how few and far between that kind of respectful youth are these days. Definitely better than the stops in town

2 (⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

Roberto G. Henrietta,TX

☺(2) ⍟ (0) ⌻ (0)

★★★★★ 3/3/1983

Always have the best deals on cigarettes (⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

Kevin F. Oklaunion,TX

☺(22) ⍟ (50) ⌻ (25)

★★★ 7/11/1987

I get fuel here pretty often. It's usually a reasonable or lower price than other stations.The employees at this one are very nice and quick It's just sometimes hard getting to a fuel pump and the tight layout is not really set up well enough to handle all its customers

3 (⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

Candy T. Altus, OK

☺(0) ⍟ (0) ⌻ (1)

★ 12/12/1987

The woman at the window was a miserable creature! So rude and hateful for no reason She need to be fired!

1 (⍢) Useful 2 (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

James B. Boulder, CO

☺(105) ⍟ (22) ⌻ (60)

★★★★★ 10/1/1988

◘ 1 photo

Staff was great, we had to stop here during a bad storm and hunkered down watchingTV We saw Steffi graf win the calendar slam in tennis at the US Open, which apparently was a really big deal told to us by one of the local high school tennis players who worked in the restaurant. Really great salt of the earth people just trying to make it and help others

1 (⍢) Useful (⍨) Funny 3 (⍤) Cool

Ken K. Henrietta,TX

☺(6) ⍟ (12) ⌻ (0)

★ 8/6/1989

Girl working is more interested in trying to hookup with the customers Will literally run to lock you out while partying inside with her friend Alsup down the street in town has better lighting, better service, better people.

3 (⍢) Useful 9 (⍨) Funny (⍤) Cool

Gwenda J. Vernon,TX

☺(605) ⍟ (7) ⌻ (4)

★★★½ 9/6/1990

Hey, they have truck parking and a little restaurant. Employees are friendly and restrooms are smelly truck stop dirty but usable

I would rate GOODTO better than good There definitely is a smell like others have said No one should restrain from stopping, Harrold, tx has a 7 11, this place is considerably better than there Also has a lot of good gum?

3 (⍢) Useful 1 (⍨) Funny 1 (⍤) Cool

Fragment 5 – SmallTown Sex Collective

FoundwrittenonanindexcardinVernonHighSchool’sbackhallway:

Yes, you can go there whenever you need. If your parents don’t take it well then you’ve got us. We don’t advertise where we are, just our ideas. You ain’t alone here, but let’s hope for the best ok? Love you

Foundonthetopofpagetwoof The Vernon Daily Record (Nov13,2032):

‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Spreads Wide

Thewaveofgenderideology-focusedlegislationfrom2022keepstumblingtowardthe shoresofotherstates.Whatbeganasthe“Don’tSayGay”billinFloridasoondominoed towardsaplethoraofcommon-sensebillsbeingpassedacrossthenation.Thebillstarget dangerousandmisguidedcrusadeswhichinjectgenderideologyandtransgenderismin publicschools.Whilesomeofthemostpopularbillsof2022includedrestrictingall LGBTQtopicsinschoolbooksandclassrooms,thesenewbillsarebecomingmore specific.Whilethebillsinthemid2020sfocusedonrestrictingallsexualcontent, especiallythatregarding“queerness”and“sexualorientation,”thebillssettobe introducednextmonthwillmakepunishmentsforoffensesstronger.Duetothe unexpectedlyrisingnumberofsexualoffensesoccuringacrossallISDcampuses,these newbillswill…[continuedon Page 3]

Overheardfromtheothersideoftheevergreentreesatthetenniscourts:

Voice 1: I think they’re hiding out in some house and then goin’ around at night plasterin’ that filth all over town What the hell is goin’ on in this country?

Voice 2: I don’t know I feel like it’s been on a down spiral these past couple years, and now I have all these people online spewin’ that gender ideology nonsense at me. I just have traditional values and think we oughta value them.

Voice 1: Exactly. They make us feel like WE’RE the crazy ones.

Voice 2: Don’t let ‘em get to ya, man. Let’s get outta here and start drivin’ around We can catch’em in the act, and I think I’ll know ‘em when I see ‘em!

Voice 1 and Voice 2: [laughter]

“Vernon’sChitChat(THEORIGINAL)”isaFacebookgroupforcommunityconversation. Similartothenotionofa“digitalcommons,”itisaplatformforlocals—and only locals—to discusslocalevents,opportunities,people,trends,andmostcommonly,rumors.Itisaprivate groupwith12.6Kmembers—almost3,000peoplemorethanthecurrent(anddeclining) populationofVernon.Itsrulesare,uneditedandasofOctober4,2022,asfollows:

1. CHIT CHATTING

a. ACHATROOM WHEREYOU CAN CHITCHATJUSTABOUTANYTHING, BUTITISA PRIVATE GROUPAND NOTAPUBLIC FORUM TALKING SMACKABOUTOUR GROUPWILLGETYOU REMOVED

2. LANGUAGE

a PLEASE KEEPITCLEAN ENGLISH ONLY NO VULGAR PICTURES OR LANGUAGE ISALLOWED-INCLUDINGABBREVIATIONS!! IFYOU USETHE F WORD INANY FASHION,YOU WILLAUTOMATICALLYBE MUTED!!

3. SELLING OF FOOD

a Persons selling food must supplyAdmins proper certificates and permits for selling food to the general public BEFOREADVERTISING!! Bake sales for charity and nonprofit organizations are exempt NO selling of food from homes, no exceptions Only 1 post per day, group all items in a single post.

4. BE KIND & COURTEOUS

a WEAREALLINTHISTOGETHERTO CREATEAWELCOMING ENVIRONMENT LET'S TREATEVERYONE WITH RESPECT HEALTHYDEBATESARE NATURAL, BUT KINDNESS IS REQUIRED!!

5. ANIMALS

a No selling, rehoming, exploitation, breeding, fostering, wanting to buy, or giving away of animals of any kind.Your post will be deleted and you will muted and or removed.

6. POLITICSAND RELIGION

a NOTHINGABOUTGOVERNMENT, POLITICS, RACISM, PREACHING, SCHOOL POLITICS, OR POSTSTHATCAN POTENTIALLYBECOME POLITICAL, PREACHING OR RACISTALLOWED, NO EXCEPTIONS

7 SELLING OF MERCHANDISE

a PLEASE LIMITYOUR POSTTO ONCE DAILY,AND GROUPITEMS IN ONE POST NO SELLING OF MERCHANDISE ORANYANYTHINGTHATIS ILLEGAL NO 2 PARTYOR NATIONALSALES OF INSURANCE OR ELECTRICITY NO QUICK LOANS ORTITLE LOANS. NO LIVE VIDEOS UNLESS ITS PROMOTINGALOCALBUSINESS.

8. NO Promoting Other Pages, Spam or Farming Posts

a Self-promotion, promoting other Facebook pages, fake news, fake contest, spam and irrelevant links aren't allowed, along with so called LIKE farming videos

9. NO BEGGING

a Please No Begging of any kind

10 NOANONYMOUS POST

a No anonymous post will be allow!

Acollectionofvariousposts:

Landrey Luke DeBord III (October 1, 2022 at 9:45pm)

I hope everyone enjoyed the chilli cook off as much as I did. Reminds me of the old days when we got together and had a good time.

56 likes, 12 comments

Janice Jones MacDonald (March 14, 2020)

Has anyone else noticed that the horses tied up at the old XXX store on 287 are skin and bones and never have water out there? I have complained many times and it’s like they refuse to do anything! Why is it illegal to tie up a dog but a horse can be left on a 10ft lead? Ridiculous!

33 angry reacts, 24 likes, 22 sad reacts, 1 heart react, 1 surprised react

Christi McBroom

Terrible.Those horses were in good shape then they tore the fence down in the patch by their house.This horrible abuse at it's finest.

2 likes

Sally Schmoker

Call the sheriff dept. It is not OK.

Ingrid Frtiz

Hound the police until they do something

1 like

Poppie Pleasant

Maybe call channel 6 news

Trudy Clayton Cook

Keep calling sheriff!!!

Margaret Lauren Brown Slappey

Call the sheriff, police, humane society, the local veterinarians, the TV stations, and anyone else you can think of who has anything to do with horses.

6 likes

Jimmy Killgore

If it's the horses there by XXX I seen 2 there today didn't look poor to me

Easter Nouton

It's all depends on who u know in this town they only pick on the pore citizens

1 heart react

David Jones

Josephus Newton maybe because 85 percent of crimes are committed by poor people as you but it.There are exemptions to that.

Yolanda Keck

David Price WOW SMFH!!

Robbie Turner Givins (June 1, 2019)

Round 2 [image of large supercell near Vernon]

2 likes, 1 sad react

Lavonna N Richard Laird

Well, we're in round 2 right now on the highway!

1 surprise react

Reggie Smith

Lavonna Haning Stay safe and be especially careful across the highway across from the old XXX/Stuckey's. For some reason there are a number of cars that have spun off the road there when it rains.

Joe Wong (October 13, 2018)

Spoke too soon Leslie D Stout, had a commercial van run off the road and had to be pulled out of the ditch. Both lanes of 287 east bound were blocked for a few minutes.

Rain slick roads and high speed, bad combo.

4 likes, 3 comments

Trevor Smithson

Acouple of times I had to travel to Wichita Falls in the rain there have been cars spin off the road and into the ditch traveling west on Hwy 287 across from what was the old Stuckey's/Triple XXX. That must be a bad spot on the highway

Cooper Schoppa (May 25, 2018)

The horse is missing on 287 by XXX

10 comments

Lisa McBride

Was that the one that looked neglected?

1 like

Grace Schoppa

Yes

Gabby Vasquez Parsons

I’ve heard the restaurant is wonderful and cannot wait to try it when we visit! I work with a great Dr that explained to me what those restaurants are. Super excited! I love Indian Food! How exciting that Vernon actually offers more than Mexican and fast food eateries!

3 likes

Robbie Turner Gibbins (March 7, 2018)

This ad is in the VDR? Where is address or phone number? LoL[photo of newspaper ad, Figure #]

3 likes, 3 haha reacts, 18 comments

Mason Maldonado

Old Stuckys !!!

Darlene Clark Kieschnick

It's out by the triple xxx store

2 likes, 1 surprise react

Tonya Grace Ellington

Oh my Mark Howard

Has anyone eaten there ??

Maxwell Lindsay no....I've seenTexas Chainsaw Massacre.

3 haha reacts

Lori Long Smithson

Go check it out Mark!! You like opossum!! Order a BLTif not!

1 like

Symone Sheppard

I have seen several posts on here lately about Vernon bringing in new business, jobs or a place to eat.These people moved to our town because they saw something that they liked. They are not searching for any kind of immigration status. They didn't come here to leech off of government assistance.They came here to make a home. They are hard working, extremely friendly Citizens. They spend their money in our town, their town. They try to contribute while so many of the people that were born and raised here just take and take. These are good people and they deserve better.

7 likes

Kent Leavitt (November 5, 2017)

Ok .I'm back . What has been going on in V town . Mom didn't get me caught me up on stuff when I was in town for Halloween. What's new . What's happening

3 likes, 13 comments

Robin Hart

Alocal dentist was killed in a plane crash near the airport. I wish I could think of something better to say.

1 like

Robin Hart

I think theTokyo restaurant closed, and maybe another one. That's about all I can think of for now

Hayden McCardell

I thought I saw an Indian restaurant as I was heading back . Near the xxx place (Stuckeys) . I didn't see aTokyo place . was there sushi? Mestizos closed and i believe there's another restaurant opened up on 287. Italian? German? Mexican?

1 like

Robbie Turner Gibbins

Hmm I am not aware of a new restaurant on 287?

2 likes

Robbie Turner Gibbins

The Indian restaurant is kind of a strange thing. I would be scared to pop in there lol.

2 likes

Wanda Jane Lansing Johnson

Yes there is Paul Martinez knows them

1 like

Lawrence McNutt

Tokyo was on 287 and I think they did have sushi, but I had never eaten there. People on FB were expressing disappointment that it had closed. I haven't been by the Stuckey's building lately, so I don't know about that one, nor do I know anything about another restaurant opening anywhere.

Fragment 7 – Slow Burn

“SlowBurn,”Track1from Golden Hour (2018)performedbyKaceyMusgraves.

WrittenbyKaceyMusgraves.ProducedbyKaceyMusgraves,DanielTashian,andIanFitchuk

[Verse 1]

Born in a hurry, always late Haven't been early since '88

Texas is hot, I can be cold Grandma cried when I pierced my nose

Good in a glass, good on green Good when you're putting your hands all over me

[Chorus]

I'm alright with a slow burn

Taking my time, let the world turn I'm gonna do it my way, it'll be alright

If we burn it down and it takes all night

It's a slow burn, yeah

[Verse 2]

In Tennessee, the sun's goin' down But in Beijing, they're heading out to work

You know the bar down the street don't close for an hour We should take a walk and look at all the flowers

[Chorus]

'Cause I'm alright with a slow burn Taking my time, let the world turn I'm gonna do it my way, it'll be alright If we burn it down and it takes all night

It's a slow burn

[Bridge]

Whatever feels good

[Outro]

Old soul, waiting my turn

I know a few things, but I still got a lot to learn So I'm alright with a slow burn, slow burn, slow burn

I'm alright with a slow burn

Fragment 8 – So LongAs:ATheory ofThresholds

Warning: some violent content

“The monster is best understood as an embodiment of difference, a breaker of category, and a resistant Other known only through process and movement, never through dissection-table analysis.”

JeffreyJeremyCohen, Monster Theory: Reading Culture

“A system of thought... is founded on a series of acts of partition whose ambiguity, here as elsewhere, is to open up the terrain of their possible transgression at the very moment when they mark off a limit. To discover the complete horizon of a society's symbolic values, it is also necessary to map out its transgressions, its deviants.”

MarcelDetienne, Dionysos Slain,1979

“They kept him there, you know.” Thomas,Age8,onLeatherface’sbriefbutcanonicalstayatthe North Texas State Hospital inVernon,Texas.Theplausibilityofthis claimiscontinuouslydebated.

Thechainsawmassacrehappenedforty-fiveminutesfromwheretheXXXstorestandstoday. That’showthestorygoes.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre wasreleasedin1978,ahumblybudgetedhorrorfilmthat crackedopenthesocialandeconomicpotentialsoftheslashergenre.Thesymbols,lore,and tropesforgedbythefilmhavenowbeenwidelyadoptedintocollectiveconsciousnessofwhat rurality,ormoreaccuratelyitshorrors,arelike.AdolescentsinmanysmallTexastowns, especiallynorthandcentralTexas,wouldgrowupbelieving their townwasclosesttothe massacre.Theremaybeawhisperof“Chillicothe”circulatingthecafeteriainSeptember,but comeOctober,thetruelocationof“Childress”emergesasunshakablefact.Theknowabilityof monsters—theirorigins,existence,epilogues—maywellbereflectiveofaconstantlychanging culturewithconstantlyshiftingmonsters.

Inreality,however,directorTobeHooperconfirmedthatthereferencesbehind Massacre arethemselvesaconstructedFrankensteinofparts,bodies,andrelations.Thefilmtakesclear inspirationfromtheshock-value,news-cyclecultureofpostwarAmerica.Hooperpopularized,to thepointofarguableinvention,themarketingpotentialsbehindtheslogan,“basedonatrue

story.”Thecanonicalfilmuniverseof Texas Chainsaw Massacre neveraimsforcertaintyor historicaccuracy,butitdoesthreadseveralmajorreferencesthroughoutnearlyeveryinstallment.

DirectorTobeHooperclaimedtohavewitnessedthearrestofElmerWayneHenley,a 1970sHouston-basedserialkiller,asasmallchild.Thefilm’sinventionofabackwards,isolated, andfearfullyconstructedruralfamilybothcontinuesandcomplicatesseveralinheritedtropesof thehorrorgenre—aderelicthousesetofffromtheroad;thelingeringpresenceofmatriarchal powerintheperiphery;masksappliedandtakenoff,almostalwaysinthe“finalgirl”sequence.

Theclearestreference,however,isthatofEdGein—oneofAmerica’smostinfamous serialkillers,andperhapstheonemostcloselylinkedtoruralityanditsinclinationtowardsthe unknown.Gein,translatedintotheantagonistof“leatherface”in Chainsaw Massacre,gained notoriousfameinthemid1950sasaserialkillerandnecrophiliac.Hismostdiscussedhorrors includemurder,posthumousmutilation,graverobbing,andmacabrefabricatingofinterior designelementsmadeentirelyfromhumanbodyparts.Themostinfamousinstancesfoundatthe Geinhomepost-arrestinclude:abeltmadeofhumannipples,ashoeboxofvulvae,chairseats upholsteredwithhumanskin,bedpostsandbowlsmadeofskulls,andseveralappliquesfor personaltransformation(corsetfromatorso,masksfromfaceskin,leggingsfromlegskin,etc). Gein’scrimesappallanyonewithsomelevelofethics,empathy,and/orunderstandingofsocial norms,andnearlyeveryinstancementionedabovehasmadeitintothe Chainsaw Massacre universebynow(giventhefilm’sformulaisperfectlyformedforendlesssequels).Theroleof performanceandboundarytransgressioncanbemappedontoGein’smorecreativeviolent crimes—themesexploredinearliercanonicalhorror-thrillerfilmssuchas Psycho (1960).

Anotablethemeinmostfilms,aswellasthesourcematerialofGein,isthetensionof public-privateandmasculine-feminineastheyrelatetotheimageoffamilyandbelonging.Gein, likeLeatherfaceinthefilms,worefemale-identifiedclothing—andinmanycasesliteralskin fromwomen—andwasarguablydrivenbythesefascinationsmorethananyother.Clear connectionstothepsychologybehindHitchock’s Psycho canbemade,andfurthersimilarities canbedrawnbetweenhowbothfilmsapproachasociallandscapedrivenbyabstractforcesof knowledgeandsecrecy. Massacre’sfocusonruralityplaysontheillegibility,unknowability,and epistemologyofrurallandscapesbeyondthecityproper.Eachmovieseemssetwithinsome hinterlands,butmostcommonlyreferstothephysicalviolenceofthecattleindustry.The proximityofsuchnonchalantgoreonlyheightensandinformsthepotentialsofLeatherface’s victims(andtheendstheyinevitablymeet,bar“finalgirl”).ThelandscapeofTheTexas ChainsawMassacre,liketheconstructionofitstitularcharacterLeatherface,operatesclosely within,outsideof,andonthethresholdof“thecloset,”asEveSedgwickarguesisthefoundation forunderstanding,identity,andknowledgeproductionitselfincontemporarysocieties. Oppositionalbinariesdemarcateclearinsandouts—either/orscenarios—whichthenbecomeapt playgroundsforhorroriconstoplayin.Themonster,afterall,isdefinedbyitstransgressionand temporalityasmuchasitsunknowability.Thethreshold,aspatialproblemfamiliartothedesign

disciplinesinbothabstracttheoryandtangiblepractice,becomesthelynchpinforbelongingand allowance.

JeffreyJeromeCohen’s Monster Theory,whilenotsuperficiallyrelatedtoqueertheoryor urbandesign,isintimatelyconnectedtobothinthemechanismsbehindandspatializationsof difference.Theboundary,ormorespecificallythe crossingortransgressingofboundary,isa foundationalconcernofqueernessandaddsfurtherdimensiontothehinterlandsasasite. Notionsofthewildernessbeyondurbanizationareunevenlymappedontoboth landscapes (the houseonthehill,thecattleindustry,woodsandcountyroadsandtravelingfairs)and societies (theLeatherfacefamilyhorror,thesmalltownfullofbackwardsbigots,valuesystemsmeasured inconsistentlyfromtheviewofurbanity).Thetheorizationoflandscapeswithin Monster Theory areeerilysimilartothatofacademicsinvolvedinthesocioculturaltheorizationofruralspaces, i.e.thehinterlands.

Theproductionofthe other,orthe“monster,”isprimarilyachievedwhenonethingisput inrelationtoanother solely onthebasisofthenormativeexpectation—inthiscasecities,order, anddensity—andnotatallputintoconversationwiththatofbothparties.Forexample:while theurbansociallandscapemayvalue individuality inthefierceassertionofone’sidentity(asa reflectionoftheformaldensityandsocialanonymityaffordedthroughurbanareas),therural sociallandscapemaybeformedprimarilyonthebasisof similarity inthe“goodneighbor” valuationsystemofhavingoneanother’sback(asareflectionofthecomparativelysparsesocial landscapepreventinganonymity;andthefactthat‘everybodyknowseverybody’andtherefore mightaswellgetalong).Inthesmalltownsocialsphere,itiscommonfortwonewpeopleto meetandimmediatelyasksomethingalongthelinesof“doIknowyourfamily?”Ifthefirstrung isnotmetwithaknowableconnection,onewillkeepongoing(“Yourcousin?Highschool teacher?Samehomecounty?)untilaconnectioncanbemade.Fromanoutsider’spointofview, thisexchangemightbedeemedasxenophobic,orexclusionary.Bythesametoken,however,one canseeanactiveeffortonbehalfofruralfolksto know oneanother,acceptingthesmallestsliver ofrelationpossible.Afterthattraditionalgreeting,thevaluesystemisbasedondependability andstraightforwardness—neighborshelpingeachotherout,tellingitlikeitis,andgettingalong forthesakeofasmallcommunity.Thespecificsofpoliticsandeconomicsarelessvisibly importantthantheymightbeinthecity,withmuchlessdirectformsofconnection,acceptance, andbelongingatplay.Therearestill,however,mechanismsthatdelightinthekindsofbinary systemsandideologiesthatproduceperfectgroundsfordifference;transgression;formonsters.

Thedefinitionofqueernessasahybrididentitythat’salwayscrossing,always transgressing,alwaysslipping—isanalyzedatthearchitecturalscale(inthesmalltownsexshop) andurbanscale(inthequeerhinterlands)inthisthesis.Therurally-adjacentTripleXXXStoreis almostalwaysattheedgeoftown,onornearahighway,inabuildingthathasbeenretrofitted frompastlivestomakespaceforaprogramnotwellreceivedbyeverycitizeninproximity.The old‘TripleXXX’inVernon,TexaswasalmostdirectlybetweenVernon(tothewest)andits nearestunincorporatedcommunityOklaunion(totheeast),analmost28,000footdistancefrom

thedowntownsquare.Itisthere,displacedfromvisibleproximitytoanyotherbuiltenvironment ofthetown,thatastoremightbeallowedtoexist.Problemsarise,however,whenitsvisibility supercedesitsdistance.

“Peopleusedtohateit,”mymothersaidoftheTripleXXX,“becauseitwasthefirst thingpeoplewouldseecomingthroughVernonfromtheeast.Irememberanabsolutelyscathing newspaperarticlesomewriterfromWichitaFallswrotethatprettymuchdowngradedVernon altogether.Hesaidsomethinglike‘drivingin,there’salovelyTripleXXXtotheleft(meaning hewascomingfromtheeast),andthenifIgodownMainStreet(tothesouth),Icanbuycarpet andaguninthesamestore.’HejustrelegatedVernontothebottomofthebarrel.Hewasn’t fromVernon,justanoutsider.I’mherelike,‘Wedon’thaveanycontroloverthat,buddy.Ifhe wantstosellagunandcarpethecan,andiftheywanttoselltripleXXXtheycan,what’sthat gottodowiththepeopleinVernon?Ijustthoughtitwasabhorrentthatsomeonethatwritesfora livingcouldsaythat.”Thewriterexperiencedtheexactsamesequencemillionsoftravelershave seenwhilepassingthroughtown,provingthatdespiteitsdistancetoVernon’shumandensity,the TripleXXX’sconnectiontointerstateinfrastructureprovedjustas,ifnotmore,damning.A similarresponsefromthetownspeople,whotakemuchmoreprideinVernonthanthewriter, emergedwhentheTripleXXXturnedfloodlightstotheskyineffortstopromotevisibilityand interestintheshop.Theinfinitereachofthelightbeamswasmadeevermorepresentbythe relentlessflatnessoftheregionallandscape—Vernonwasoncecalled‘EagleFlatts,’after all—anditsvisualspectaclemadeapseudoHollywoodpremiereoutofsexinasmalltownnot yetliberatedfromthebinariesoftheAntebellumsouth.

Thethreshold,then,iscomplicated.Thesmalltownsexshopisallowed so long as it remainsintheperiphery,unmoving,asasitetovisitinsecretbutneverstay.Alteringanyof thesecriticalfactors—daringtoextenditsvisualexpressiontowardsthesky,forexample—can becomeamajorpointofconversationandoutrageinlocalcontexts.Evenitsperceiveddistance wascomplicatedbyitsconnectiontothehighwaysystem,leadingtothewrittenarticleandmore nuancedunderstandingsoflegibilityandperceptionintheurbancontext.Distanceisnottheonly measureofimpactorperceptibility;presenceandproximityarenotinterchangeable.

In“EqualityInc,”LisaDugganreferencestheLogCabinRepublicans,agroupof republicangaymenwhofittraditionalvaluesinmostareasdespitesexualorientation.Theyaim foramirroredreflectionofheteronormativelife,arguingthattheirlivesarenotdisruptiveand thereforeshouldbeallowedtoexistfreely.Thislimitsqueerexpression,yes,butgoeseven further;theirdesiretoassimilateintomainstreamnormativityprogressesneoliberalagendasand setsbackallotherqueervoices.Thisparticularbrandoninoffensive,assimilatedhomosexuality isdecidedlynon-confrontationalandalmostapologetic.Itsrepresentationsarealmostalways cisgenderedmenwhomarryandstartafamily,almostalwaysadoptinganeoliberalviewon politicsandconservativeviewsonsocialpositions.Theseidentitiesmaynotrealizethethreshold theyexiston,however:theyareacceptedandrewarded,solongastheycontinuelivingtheir assimilatedliveswithoutanydisruptionorotherwiseradicalmoves.Dugganspecifically

referencesconservativepunditAndrewSullivan,amonogamouslymarriedcisgender homosexualman,andhisgoals.Heisprimarilyinterestedinanear1:1replicationof heterosexualcouplingsandtherolesthatcomewithit.Itisasimplereplicationthatvalues maintainingthestatusquoaboveanincitementtoqueerness.Sullivan’staskasks:

“that gays be allowed to exist within this neoliberal landscape, so long as they support sentimental masculinist nationalism and challenge nothing”

(Duggan, 63)

Thisneoliberal‘equality’politics,modeledbytheLCR,hasfounditswayintolegalbodiesfor LGBTQrightsandserveanincreasinglynarrowsubsetofqueeridentities—namelythegay, whitemoniedelitewhositinsectionsofacharmedcircle(GayleRubin)withoutdoingmuch transgressingatall.Thesebecomerepresentedinmediaandlaw,toanextentthatisnot representativeoftheexistingpopulationbutitsmostprivilegedpercentages.Overtime,this existenceisacceptedandmaybeevenstrivedforbyqueerfolkswhootherwisewouldnotbe engrained,desire,orfeelpressuretoassimilatetothisnarrowidealthatmirrorstheinstitutionof heterosexuality(whichqueernesssonaturallyrubsupagainst,asAdrienneRichandCathy Cohenhopefullyargue).Inthisway,theconstructedimagebecomesthereal;thepowerofthe narrowedelitebeginsconstructingtherealityitwants.

“Greater acceptance of the most assimilated, gender-approporate, politically mainstream portions of the gay population had already occurred in politics, media representations, and the workplace since the mid-1990s especially ” (Duggan, 44)

Thereis,however,amajorcatch.TheLogCabinRepublicanscanenjoyconditionalbenefits so long as theydon’tdisruptorradicalizethesocioeconomic structuresofneoliberalcapitalismand compulsoryheterosexuality TherequirementsofRubin’sCharmedCirclearesonarrowthat thereisn’tmuchroomformodification,andifthereareconsequencesforheterosexualsthatdo notmeetthem,thethresholdforqueerbodiesislikelyevermoreficklewithequallydamaging consequences.Themonster,afterall,isatransitionalthreat—itenforcestheculturalcodeswhich constructeditandregulatesexual—andeveneconomic—desire.(J

Cohen,14)

TheTripleXXXdarestotransgressafteremergingfromthedrosscapeofruralurbanism. Thethresholdslipsbetweenoneofdistance,ofconnection,andofperception.Theprimaryagent intheseconsiderationsisrelationalinfrastructure:thehinterlandsinterritorialterms,the highwayinphysicalterms,andthepublic’stoleranceinmetaphysicalterms.Wheredoesthe architectorurbandesignerplacetheirstudies,concerns,andmotivationsonasitesoembroiled inseeminglyimmeasurable,subjective,andotherwiseshiftingvariables?Dowecreate, perpetuate,orevendestroymonstersinthecontextswhichweareworkingin—orcanweeven considersomeofourowninternalizedmethodsasmonstrous?Whatarethelimitsofknowing,or moreoptimistically,thepotentialsofworkingthroughaprocessof unknowing?

Fragment 9 – Temporality of theTempting Shed: No-Conclusion

Sheppard,

“FromSitetoTerritory”in Bracket—Goes Soft

“To represent the territory is to understand it, is to operate within it, is to (re)design it.” Lola

“Like a piece of architecture, the city is a construction in space, but one of vast scale, a thing perceived only in the course of long spans of time. City design is therefore a temporal art… At every instant, there is more than the eye can see, more than the ear can hear, a setting or a view waiting to be explored. Nothing is experienced by itself, but always in relation to its surrounding, the sequences of events leading up to it, the memory of past experiences..”

KevinLynch, The Image of the City

Theimageofasexshop—derelict,deserted,andshimmeringalongthehighwayattheedgeofa smalltown—iscentraltoandindexicalofthesocio-spatialorganizationofsmalltownlifeand shiftingdisposition.Itslegibilityshiftswithone’sspeedandpositionalityastheypassbyor towardsthebuilding,slippingbetweenformsoffamiliarityandcontradiction.Thevertical silhouetteoftruckstops,gasstations,andhighwaysigns;thepersonallyintimatemarkingsof domesticDIYliving;theadaptiveaudacityinhijackingthosefamiliartypologiesfora contextuallysubversivesexshop—thetemporalityofthesexshopisnarratedbyinertmaterial expressionandthesubjectivesocialconnotationswebringtoobjectsweperceive,especially whenthatperceptionshiftsincomplication.

Thekindofshimmerfeltinlong-timepasserbyoftheTripleXXXinVernonisnotunlike therelativelyhumorousshimmeringweseeinbuildingsthatclearlyusedtoexistasaPizzaHut. Theiconicandrecognizableroofingformofthefastfoodpizzafranchiseoftenremainsafterthe businesshasleft.Whatisleftinthewakearecuriousurbanlegibilities,furthercomplicatedby thepassageoftimeandtemporalityofspace.

Is that a pizza hut? No, it’s an insurance company.

Mydadwasraisedcatholicandkneweverybodyintownbythetimehealmostperished infrontoftheTripleXXX.“Grandma can’t readthepaper,”roaredinhismindashewasvery possiblyonthevergeofdeath,pointingtothetranscendentpowerofthresholdsandacceptance thatcomewithsmalltownsocialitiesandepistemologies.Thatspanofseveralminutesmay revealmoreaboutthebuildinganditscontext—howeachshimmers—astheyslipbetween constantlynegotiatedrecognitionsandallowances.

Thetemporalityofscrolling,ofinformalusescenariosandpressuredenvironments,plays outeverydayinaninfrastructuralnetworkofintimacyandsecrecy.Ruralprofilesondatingand hookupappsareoftenanonymous,constantlychanging,orunconfirmed.

Theurbanplanneranddesigneristoooftenfloatingabove,literallyandideologically, abovethecity—aboveitspeople.Theseexercisesinnarrativeareanefforttodecentralizedesign thinkingtowardsgrounded,entanglednarrativesthatprioritizesubjectivenarrativebeforeorat theleastasmuchasobjectivedata.Thetraditionaltop-downvector,feltmostclearlyinthe masterplan,becomesadiffusenetworkofactorsandvectorsthatbeginrevealingamorenuanced wholeofalternatevoicesinnuancedrelation.

Cohen’sdismissalof“dissection-tableanalysis”asaworthytoolofunderstandingand analysisin Monster Theory canbethreadedwithacritiqueonurbandesign’shistoryofdesign processandimplementation,particularlyinhowweunderstandsiteanddefineamultitudeof relationships“found.”Theprioritizationofobjectivedatainurbandiscourse—whichisitselfa fallacyasdemographicsarefluidbynatureandtheirreportsoftenmisrepresentedupon arrival—castsanumberofproblematicshadowsondesignpractice.Largercitiesareinmany wayspredicatedondifference,boundaries,andthemessyfrictionsofcollectivity Tryingto understandandrepresenttheseephemeralspaces,peoples,andflowsthroughplanimetrics,hard “fact,”anddistancedobjectivityleadstofurthermarginalizationandmissedopportunitiesin uncoveringthenuanceofsiteandplace.Adoptingsofter,lessessentialized,narrative-driven approachesletsdesignthinkingemergefromtheground—nottheskyortheacademy—canopen thedoorforlessexpectedunderstandingsofsitetotakeshapeorganically.

Thereisnostronghand,heroicscale,orabsolutetruthpresent;thedangersof single-vectorauthorityaredispersedalongtheactorsalreadyintimatelyengagedwiththe energiesofdesignsites.AnurbandesignertaskedwithasiteasdiffuselyperceivedastheTriple XXXcannotsolelyrelyonobjective,fixeddatapointsmeasuredfromthesky.Intangibleor immaterialfactorsdrivesiterelationshipsmorethananyperceivableormeasurableartifact.

Designershavemuchtogainfromchallengingacceptedmethodologyandinvestigating temporalconditionsofterritory—ratherthanaskingwhatthereistobeknownandmeasured, mightweaskwhatresistsdefinitionandfixity;whatishardtomeasurebutrevelatoryonce uncovered?Iarguethatmuchofthisworkisdonethroughrelationaltheoryandexperimentation. Iamstartingwithafragmentaryapproachthatutilizesvariousdisciplines,approaches,and temporalities—writing,representing,andperceivingatdifferentscalesandtimesandtones—to resistthedesireofimmediateknowledge-and-actioninfavorofadesiretointimatelyknowand designwiththeshimmeringelementsofurbanism.

Aprocessofshimmersplacesvalueonfrictionedcommunitysites,unconfirmed mythology(andallthatreveals),andelasticnotionsofandapproachestotime.Ahealthy suspicionofdata-drivenmethods,especiallyinruralareaswhereaccuracyandwillingnessare hardtocomeby,reflectsadistasteforabsolutistandessentialistthought(andhowthosethoughts arecarriedthroughthedesignprocessandmademanifestinthebuiltenvironment).Theprocess

aimstoperforatenotionsofauthorship,expandlandscapesofagency,andacknowledgethe designer’spositionalitythroughprepositionalapproach.

Thisisaqueerurbandesignmethodologybasedintemporalunderstandingsandintimate analysesofbothempiricalobservationandrelationalinfrastructure.Itisthroughthe collectivizingofindividual,subjectivestoriesthattheprojectispowerful—itisinthepowerof theunknown,unstated,orunperceivedthatimplicatesmuchlarger,darkerabstractforcesof oppressionwhichcastshadowsoneventhemostintimateofrelations.Theprocessaggregates theories,methods,andmaterials(onsite,systems,andsubjectivity)thatprovidemany counters tothedominantwayofworking.

Byqueeringdesignprocesstowardsheightenedfocusontemporalitiesandrelational infrastructures,anurbanepistemologyofbelongingmay—overtimeandtension—emerge.