two sides of two fences

two fences separate e two groups of foreigners. those on e south side of e fences are sometimes seen around mid-afternoon, when they come out for exercise. but only some of those on e north side of e fences are aware of them - those who happen to look out of their windows while working in e upper floors of e Biopolis (Genome, Matrix or Chromos) or MOE buildings. otherwise e 'southerners' remain unseen, unheard & unknown, hidden behind e white windowless walls of Portsdown prison while serving time for illegal entry or overstaying.

on e way to lunch today, two Prisons Service buses pulled up beside e aircon Biopolis shuttle bus at a red light, & for once e northerners & southerners got a close look at one another. e southerners were crammed in e red bus that had windows - they looked as if they were sitting on one another's laps. all were shaven bald & dressed in civillian clothes (probably what they were wearing when arrested, a colleague surmised). e light grey bus looked like e kind used by riot police, so couldn't make out e passengers (if any) in there.

& then e light turned green, & e northerners & southerners went their separate ways in their respective buses. e former to Holland Village for lunch, e latter towards e AYE, presumably on their way to e airport for repatriation.

[ filed under: thewonderingstraycat + 9_lives_2005 ]