Spark: A Burning Man Story Page #7

Hold out your hand, I want to

give you something.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

What you got there?

Want me to put it on for you?

White out.

Get in the car for a minute

until the weather blows over.

Stay down low, Zolie Mae.

[ZOLIE MAE]:
I am.

How close are you to being done?

Everyone always keeps

asking us that.

When you find out, let me know.

Everybody's so frazzled.

We've been working on average

16 hour days

since we got here two Sundays

ago,

trying to keep, you know, trying

to keep the morale of the troops

and myself up as much as we can

while we fight this weather.

Literally, last week was 110 degrees

every day and windstorms all night.

In fact, one of the windstorms was so bad

it took this trailer we're in right now

and launched it about

six feet in the air

and back on its rear end while I

was in it.

There's been some engineering

changes.

I scaled back one level off the Bank of

UnAmerica and three off the Goldman Sucks.

In this weather, there's only so

much work you can do

and my crew is totally exhausted

at this point.

But uh, that's...

that's life out here.

Now I've got to go out and play

strong leader,

keep these people motivated,

keep them on task or getting resting so

that when the weather does get better

I can get them moving.

It's an endless job.

There's a few buildings that

they had planned to build

and they're not going to be able

to build it.

They're also not going to be

able to have people

up on the second story

of the main building

because there's not time to

build the stairs and the balcony

and the balusters and railings and

everything you need to make it safe,

to make it code.

Like show biz, you have a date

that you open

and everything has to be

up and running.

It gets to be these traditions.

Some of these camps are

so well established,

they have a following.

And one of my favorite camps,

Brand-Ur-Ass.

[Carnival music, ]

It's a Disney land where the

participants create all the rides.

And it goes on for miles.

Good morning!

That is beautiful!!

Get me a Marian and me shot,

you know what I'm talking about.

I sure do.

You look so good, you look so

freaking H-O-T Caliente.

Yeah you should have received

a page. Over.

[on talkie]:
I did, it said that you

wanted to have a meeting. Over.

Did they happen to use the word

"urgent" on that? Over.

Okay, if you guys are part of

the volunteering for the stuff,

if you could wait

under the shade there.

And she's eating

with us too, right?

Um, no, I had-

I didn't arrange for that.

I would mind talking to you for

just a brief moment...

Okay, Rosie-Lelia, I think I'm going to

send Matt in to grab those documents.

Was there some drama going on?

I saw rangers here.

And then also there's the couple you have

on the list. Are they arriving today?

Who?

Hi, Marian. These gentlemen here

are looking for Matt Cheney?

Can you... and they're supposed

to meet them at the VIP lounge,

are you able to direct them?

There's no VIP lounge.

I'm going to kill Matt Cheney

for even saying there is.

We know everybody who's

in the camp.

I... I... I don't have just anybody drop

in because it's really a private place

with a bunch of people

that don't want to be...

Right, I understand.

...bothered.

Are you having fun?

Yeah, we're having a good time.

And this is your first time,

right?

Yeah, do you have any

recommendations?

Ummm... no.

I can't walk through this camp without

getting bombarded with 15 questions

from people about how,

you know, can I, you know,

"how do I get water in my RV,"

or you know, "how does

this work," and you know,

that's all part of

radical self-reliance,

is them really figuring that out

for themselves.

They're investment bankers,

they're artists,

they're interior designers, they're

medical doctors, they are actors,

they're models, they are, you

know, I mean you name it.

They're all used to their lives,

and I understand that because I

used to be that person,

and you know, now I'm not.

They see me as this, you know, this guy who

just like does all this stuff for people.

I need to shave, this is not

appropriate, I am a diva.

He's a sparkle pony.

I am a sparkle pony.

[LA GRACE]:
Here, you know, it's

really about trying to suspend the ego

and explore for 7 days,

a different experience

because of that.

We're PlayaSkool, you know,

and we're all in this together.

It already looks super rad right

now.

Seeing those back pieces on makes

it really feel like, "Oh my god."

It's that enclosed space that I

wanted it to be,

like that comfortable spot.

Yeah, the plaques are inside,

it's awesome.

[muffled] It's beautiful.

Congratulations.

[UNIDENTIFIED SONG]

[intense, loud drumming]

[desert wind]

I'm late I'm late,

I'm so friggin late,

it's a very important date.

Gotta go, gotta go!

No time to say hello goodbye...

I'm late!

Alice when did you arrive!?

More tea for the queen!

[drumming]

We have Merril Lynched.

Bank of UnAmerica,

Chaos Manhattan,

and Goldman Sucks!

[CHORUS SINGING]: We are the

99%

REVEREND BILLY:
Watch out.

We may be hung over!

But we are the 99%!

We're going to occupy this stock

exchange!

We are the 99! We are the 99...

CHORUS:
We are the 99%...

Now I can buy everything.

I can buy everything I need.

Anybody else want some free

money? Free money!

[Chorus singing]

We are the 99%

[cheering]

Now this is going to be a

satisfying burn!

Does anybody know what I'm

talking about?

Oh yeah, give me one

like this...

Try the ramp of death

right here.

Leave the planet surface,

be free.

Be one with the air.

You hesitate, you're going to do

it, you're going to circle around,

and you're going to hit the ramp

of death.

Look at that tiger fly.

Look at that, look at that.

That was impressive.

Did you see that, ladies?

You're gonna get laid tonight.

Come on green fairy girl.

Come on, pink tutu boy.

Come on, we haven't had a naked

man do it yet, let's go.

Ramp of death!!

[fireworks]

[fireworks, dub step music]

[cheering]

Ohh yeahhhh!

[crowd roaring]

[music ends]

Next year, I will not do this.

Let's get this show on the road,

what do you say?

You know, if I can create

something out of dust

that's pretty fabulous,

then I can do pretty much

anything that I set my mind to.

I feel like I really got from

this what I was looking for,

And feel really confident that I could start

a project and finish a project and...

and find success in that

for myself,

not from the outside world telling

me that it was good or bad.

I love Burning Man, I'll always... it'll

always have a special place for me,

but this does not

define my life.

I mean, my life is way more

than just this.

It's been a catalyst for me

but it's not, you know, this

does not define Jon La Grace.

[cheering]

It's been a really interesting journey

to be part of a six-way marriage.

I think it's a perfect synchronicity

that of the six of us,

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